


Bewitched

by dracko



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), Tommy Ratliff (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-16 06:16:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 72,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2259084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracko/pseuds/dracko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy makes a living as a street magician.  He and his pet rat, Winston, wow the tourists that visit the Boardwalk.  He pulls Winston out of a hat, makes a watch disappear, all the well known smoke-and-mirrors magic that tourists love.  Tommy also has something else.  He can make a locket appear in a box, that yesterday was on display in a store window. He can make eyes change color for the briefest of moments, and any trick that should be impossible.  Tommy's always kept his secret with the simple mantra, 'a magician never tells his secrets.'  That is until he shows up.  Adam.  Adam has the power to bring Tommy to his knees. Tommy and his magic have the power to threaten both he and Adam's souls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a collaboration with va_bites. All of her artwork for this story can be found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/va_bites/sets/72157648183062325/
> 
> This is a five part story and will have a soundtrack. I will post the sound track at the end of each part.
> 
> Big thank you to casey270 for editing. :)

“Please! Stop!” Adam cried out as Bellaepherent slammed Tommy's nearly broken body against the far wall. It was the fourth hard full body blow Tommy had taken, and Adam knew Tommy couldn't take much more.

 

I tried to keep Tommy's pain and waning life filtered out of my thoughts. Adam didn't need to see it, or feel it, but my ability to compartmentalize all the emotions running through my head was almost impossible.

 

Bellaepherent slithered over to Adam, coiling her long skinny fingers around his neck. She forcibly turned his head so he was looking at Tommy's crumpled lifeless form across the room. “He did this to you, Adam. Lying, dishonest, Tommy. If he just would have been honest with you from the beginning, told you what he is, none of this would be happening.”

 

“Shut up, you bitch!” Adam spat out.

 

Bellaepherent's face morphed into a distorted, evil smile. “Such hostility. I'm not to blame, Adam. Lover boy is. He took away your free will. He led you to this. Don't you see?”

 

“No.”

 

Adam closed his eyes and lowered his head in defeat. Bellaepherent was getting to him. I couldn't let that happen. Sure, Tommy could have let Adam come to him naturally, but what he did wasn't inherently evil. He honestly thought he could handle it, and he had no idea when he started that this whole mess would affect Adam, as well. Tommy was running out of time. I had to make Adam see that.

 

 _ **Adam, don't listen to this bitch. She's just trying to mess with your head,**_ I said in an attempt to break through to him.

 

Adam looked around trying to locate me. He knew he wouldn't find me, but the reaction was natural...human. After the third scan of the area, he put his head back down, defeated, and spoke. “She has a point.

 

_**Adam.** _

 

“Well, she does. If he wouldn't have tampered with reality. If he would have been honest, we wouldn't be here.”

 

 _ **Would you be with him?**_ I ask him honestly.

 

“I...I don't know,” he answered truthfully.

 

 _ **Then you know why he did it, Adam. He can't live without you. He knew he was risking himself. He**_ _**didn't know he was risking you.**_ Tommy's time was running out. I was able to feel his life slipping out of his body as Adam and I spoke. The only thing that was able save him was hiding deep inside Adam, and I still didn't have a read as to whether or not Adam possessed it. I was at my wit's end. I didn't want to lose Tommy, my master, or Adam, my new friend.

 

Bellaepherent let go of Adam and sauntered over to where Tommy lay lifeless on the dingy floor. His breaths were raspy, consciousness a thing of fiction. She leaned over him and inhaled deeply, a euphoric look on her face. “I don't know what turns me on more, breathing in his dying life force, or the knowledge that you'll be forced to fuck me...in my female form, for all eternity.” She let out a loud blood curdling cackle.

 

“She can change forms?” Adam asked, baffled and horrified.

 

 _ **Does it matter?**_ Honestly, Tommy's dying, and Adam's questioning Bella's sex. _**Focus, Adam. Only you can save Tommy and yourself.**_

 

“I don't know what to do.”

 

_**Yes, you do, Adam.** _

 

“What! What do I do?” Adam screamed at me in desperation as Bellaepherent slammed Tommy against the wall again.

 

 _ **I can't tell you what to do, Adam. You have to figure it out. Look deep. You'll figure it out.**_ I so desperately hoped he figured it out. For all of our sakes.

 

Tommy let out a gurgle and moan from across the room, and Adam ran to his side. Tommy's eyes were open, just barely. His eyes met Adam's and he smiled lightly, obviously using all his strength in the one small gesture. “Adam,” he said on a whisper.

 

“I'm here, baby. I'm here.”

 

“I'm sorry, Adam. I'm so sorry.”

 

Adam ran his hands through Tommy's dirty, matted hair. “Shh...Don't, Tommy. Nothing to be sorry for.”

 

Tommy tried to shake his head back and forth. It was painful to watch. “No. No, Adam. I shouldn't have taken away your ability to say no to me. I should have let you come to me willingly. Then maybe you could have...” Tommy trailed off as his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side.

 

“Could have what? Could have what?” Adam screamed, shaking Tommy, tears streaming down his face. “Damn it, Tommy! Could have what?”

 

I hung my head low. If I was able cry, I would, but I do mourn. I felt the heartbeats in Tommy's chest slow. I mourned the loss of a friend, the loss of a master, and the loss of the greatest love that might have been, if only Adam had spoken those three little words.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

 

 

_**The greatest love stories ever told always happen in the strangest of places. The city boy falls in love with the country girl. The billionaire falls in love with the poor waitress. The star football player falls in love with the quiet, awkward nerd. This story is like none of these examples. This story makes the billionaire and the waitress look like a normal, everyday occurrence. This story is truly one in a million...and it almost didn't happen.** _

 

Two years ago...

 

It was a gorgeous day. The temperature was a mild sixty-eight degrees, and the sun was shining. This meant the boardwalk was packed with booths and sightseers alike. Tommy enjoyed the busy days. Busy days meant paid rent, and potential clients and scouts. He looked up and down the boardwalk. It appeared that there were four magicians lined up this morning. Tommy wasn't worried. No one held a candle to his “tricks,” with the exception of Xander. That guy was good, and a thorn in Tommy's side.

 

Tommy had been working the Boardwalk for years, and Xander was the only other magician who had stuck around longer than a few weeks. He even managed to land a spot at the local theater, which pissed Tommy off. His companion tried to calm him down, but Tommy had his reasons for being pissed.

 

You see, Tommy's magic was real. None of that smoke and mirrors bullshit. One hundred percent real. How, you ask? It's simple. Tommy was a witch. A genetic fluke in Tommy's family tree. For generations dating back to the 1700's, the Ratliff clan has had a genetic anomaly that allows for the practice of magic. However, it was only linked to the females, normally. Every fourth generation, one lucky male inherited the gene that allowed him to practice, as well. Tommy was the lucky male of this generation.

 

He was able to cast spells, invoke charms, create illusions, manipulate the elements, and other randomly impressive things that helped him make money as a street magician. It also fueled his anger when the fakes took the limelight, and he was left on the sidelines scratching his head.

 

“This is bullshit,” Tommy said as he set up his table with all his props for the day. “I perform circles around that douche, and he gets residency at the Center.”

 

His companion climbed up onto Tommy's shoulder, his normal place to perch. _**Don't worry about him, Tommy. Your chance will come.**_

 

“Your lips, Rat. Your lips.”

 

Rat. That's what Tommy called him, his constant companion, though his real name was Winston. Winston was Tommy's familiar. All witches had them. They're like protectors, confidants, if you will.

 

“Spectators,” Tommy says, and as Winston scurried down his back onto the floor, under the table, to wait for his cue. Even though Tommy was a witch and was able to perform real magic, he knew simple human brains grabbed hold of what they knew, so he eased them in with the tried and true illusions before he began the real thing.

 

Tommy talked to the group of ladies for a few minutes, telling them what he was about to do. He showed them the empty top hat before setting it back on the table. That was Winston's cue to climb the table and squeeze his butt through the small flap Tommy made on the back of the hat. Winston waited while he finished talking, and then Winston heard “And I present to you, Winston!” It's one of the only times he called Rat by his actual name. “Would you like to pet him?”

 

The women shrieked. Winston was a beady eyed rodent after all. The women wouldn't touch him, the men were indifferent, and the kids left Winston feeling as if he'd been molested when they were done petting him. He knew they meant well. They just get over excited.

 

The women moved on, and Tommy let out a puff of breath. “It's going to be a long day.”

 

_**You made $20.00 on your first trick.** _

 

“Fluke.”

 

_**Maybe.**_ Winston scrambled up to Tommy's shoulder, and looked around the crowd. There was a lot of people out today. They'd be busy. Winston looked at Tommy. He looked detached, despondent. He'd looked this way frequently lately. It worried Winston. It made Winston wish he could read Tommy's mind. Something was definitely going on, though. _**You should put some sunblock on.**_

 

Tommy looked at him strangely. “OK, dad.”

 

If a rat could laugh, he would.

 

Several hours later, and a few hundred bucks in Tommy's jar, he was ready for a break. He put his “be back in twenty” sign on the booth and began his stroll up the boardwalk. He stopped at a few booths, new ones, to say hello and welcome the newcomers to the block, and also a few of his friend's booths just to say hello. He avoided Xander's booth like the plague.

 

On the way back to his booth, Tommy was munching on a taco in a bag, turning his head to give Winston a small bite of cheese and meat, when he slammed hard into someone stopped at an art booth. As he looked up and made eye contact, Winston felt his breath hitch and his heart begin to race. He looked up as well to see who his master had run into. Tommy had smacked into six plus feet of dark haired, blue eyed perfection. This guy was beautiful. By Tommy's lack of words and racing heart, Winston was able tell that was exactly what Tommy was thinking. Winston nipped his shoulder to get his attention.

 

“Uh...sorry,” Tommy said, almost inaudibly.

 

“S'okay,” the stranger said with a smile before moving past Tommy and walking off into the crowd.

 

Tommy stood there dumbfounded, not looking back in the direction of the man, but straight ahead, his eyes glazed and heart racing. Winston could feel it as if it were his own. In all Winston's years with Tommy, he'd never felt him react to another person like this before. Not the girl in middle school he first kissed, not the boy in high school he first kissed, not any of the girls he had sex with, and not the few guys he had been with, either. Winston had been with Tommy through it all, while he struggled with his sexuality, and when he finally embraced it. Never has he had this reaction, and he doesn't even know the person.

 

Tommy shook it off and walked back to the booth. Something was still off, but in all honesty, he'd been off all day. They continued on with their day as if it was any other day, however, it was as if there were a dark cloud hanging over Tommy.

 

The afternoon was over and Winston was still on the table as Tommy was cleaning up. It wasn't a bad day- four hundred dollars. That would cover rent. Tomorrow Tommy would work on groceries. Winston knew Tommy got discouraged because he hadn't gotten a deal with the Center, but he's not doing bad for himself. Rent got paid, They weren't starving, Tommy's wasn't naked, and he had extra money to buy things when he wanted. They were good. Winston wished Tommy would see it.

 

All he saw was what he couldn't do. Being a male witch was much different than being a female witch. Female witches were able to use their magic on anything. They could cast light or dark magic to their heart's content. If they wanted a shiny new car but couldn't afford it, they cast a spell to persuade the salesman to lower the price, or even persuade someone else to buy it for them. If a female witch didn't like her job, she'd use magic to get a promotion. Not a male witch. Male witches could not cast spells for personal gain, or use dark magic.

 

It's not that they weren't able to cast dark magic at all, or cast personal gain spells. They were able, but not without consequence.

 

Every time a male witch cast a spell of personal gain, he put a black smudge on his white aura. All male witches were born with a pure white aura. The only way to tarnish it was with dark magic. Personal gain was considered black magic for male witches. No one knew why it only pertained to the male witches, but it did.

 

Tommy using his magic as a career choice was different than personal gain. It was his livelihood. He only had one black smudge on his aura, which wasn't detrimental. He got it in the fifth grade, when he cast a spell to change his grade on a science test. It only became detrimental when the aura becomes more black than white. The pull to cast dark becomes too great. Once that happened, the dark would take over, the aura became black, and your soul became vulnerable to be taken over by an awaiting demon.

 

Bellaepherent, a nasty gender swapping demon, had had his/her eye on Tommy's soul ever since his one grade changing infraction years ago. Winston worked hard to keep his aura intact and squeaky clean all these years.

 

Tommy sometimes saw this as a hindrance though. He couldn't use his magic to better himself, not in anything, and he's never really been good at anything but magic. That's why he became a street magician. Even with the frustration, he loved it. Winston just wished he could assure him that patience would get him what he desired.

 

“Am I too late?” Winston looked up when he felt Tommy's heart rate spike for the second time today. The beautiful stranger was standing in front of the booth. Tommy looked like he'd swallowed his tongue, so Winston scurried off the table and up his torso to his shoulder. “Oh my! He's so cute! What's his name?”

 

“Rat.”

 

“You named your rat, Rat?”

 

“It's Winston, actually. I just call him Rat,” Tommy said. Wow, he could talk. Winston was beginning to worry. The stranger smiled warmly, looking Winston in the eyes. Who looked a rat in the eyes? He was completely smitten by Tommy's rodent familiar. If Winston were human, he would have been blushing from all the fawning.

 

“Can I hold him?” He'd asked enthusiastically.

 

Tommy looked at the guy quizzically. No one ever asked to hold his rat. Pet his head, sure, but hold him? Never. They're always afraid he going to piss on them or something. After a moment, Tommy slowly nodded his head and leaned his shoulder down toward the man.

 

The man held his hands out, and Winston tentatively crawled into them. He seemed elated. He cupped Winston and pulled him to his face, nuzzling him to his cheek as he scratched him behind his ears. It felt really good. Winston liked this guy. _**I like this one,**_ Winston told Tommy.

 

Tommy rolled his eyes at Winston, but he could still feel Tommy's racing heart so he was pretty sure Tommy liked this one too.

 

“He's adorable,” the man said as he handed Winston back to Tommy. He already missed the attention. Tommy and Winston had a bond, but not a physically affectionate one. “So, will you be here tomorrow?”

 

“I'm here everyday.”

 

“Great! Mind if I come see your talents tomorrow?” The man looked away briefly as if embarrassed. “I kinda have a thing for magic.”

 

Tommy gave him a timid half grin. “Sure.”

 

The man beamed from ear-to-ear. It was short lived as Xander approached the booth. “Adam, what the hell are you doing over here?” Adam's, face fell at the sight of Xander.

 

“I'm making new friends, Xander.”

 

Xander scoffed, as if the idea was beneath him. “You don't need to make friends with a two bit magician and his fleabag rodent. You're above that. Come on.”

 

Xander turned on his heel and walked away. Adam gave Tommy an apologetic smile and mouthed the words “I'll see you tomorrow” before skipping off after Xander.

 

_**What an asshole**_ , Winston said as Adam retreated.

 

“What an angel,” Tommy said. Winston was pretty sure he meant to say it to himself so his rat couldn't hear it, but he said it out loud and quite loud actually.

 

Winston made a giggling sound in Tommy's head. _**Uh oh. Tommy has a crush.**_

 

He shook his head. “No. No I don't.”  


Tommy looked at Winston, the look in his eyes unnerving. “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

 

**Oh shit. Oh shit. This can't be good.**

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Winston had barely slept a wink last night. It was another example of why he wished he was able to read Tommy's mind. Being an empath, he felt Tommy's emotions, Tommy's physical changes and feelings, but not what is going on in that mysterious head of his. Last night, while Tommy had slept the physical and emotional turmoil were plenty. He'd started off peacefully, sleeping soundly. Actually, he'd been sleeping more soundly than he'd ever slept. As the night went on, however, his heart rate would spike, pound in a racing thump, and then turn into an erratic choppy beat.

 

If it hadn't been for the one word uttered in his sleep, Winston would've had no idea what was going on. Bella. Bellaepherent had been tormenting Tommy in his dreams, and Winston had been pretty sure he knew why. Bella had been watching Tommy his whole life, waiting for an opportunity to coax Tommy into using his magic for personal gain. Bella wanted Tommy's soul, and the only way to get it was through Tommy's aura. Winston had no doubt Bella had heard Tommy's confession yesterday. Winston would have to make sure Tommy didn't fall for any of Bella's tricks.

 

Winston sat on Tommy's chest and waited for his eyes to open. He'd be pissed. He hated it when Winston did that. It creeped him out, hd told Winston. Winston could care less right now. There was no way he was giving Bella any opportunity to plant a bug in Tommy's mind if he can help it. Winston had prevented it for the past eighteen years. He'd try his damndest to make it another eighteen.

 

Tommy stirred and cracked an eyelid. His gaze landed on the rat seated quietly in the center of his chest, and he sat up, sending Winston tumbling ungracefully down to his lap. “What are you doing, Rat?”

 

_**What were you dreaming about?** _

 

Tommy looked at Winston with an uncomfortable stare. He didn't answer. Instead, he huffed, throwing the blankets over the rat, and storming out of the bedroom. He confirmed Winston's suspicions. It was Bella in his head. Winston scurried off the bed, and out of the room to find Tommy in front of the coffee pot.

 

_**Tommy. Don't try to ignore me. I know it was Bella. What did she say?** _

 

Tommy turned and rolled his eyes at Winston, poured himself a cup of coffee, and then walked to the bar and sat down. “She didn't come to me. _He_ did. Bella. Except Bella looked like _him._ ”

 

_**That fucker.** _

 

“Don't worry, Rat. I won't fall for her tricks. I promise.” Tommy smiled at Winston reassuringly.

 

Winston felt better. He knew Bella played dirty, and the fact that she'd morphed herself into Adam in Tommy's dream confirmed that she had, in fact, heard Tommy's confession. A confession that was still sitting as an uncomfortable lump in Winston's stomach. It wasn't that he didn't want Tommy to find someone to be happy with, because he did. It was Tommy's reaction to the man that has Winston uneasy. Tommy had never had that strong of a reaction to anyone, let alone voiced it out loud. It left him vulnerable to Bella's influence.

 

_**I'll always worry.** _

 

Tommy laughed. “There's nothing to worry about.”

 

_**Tommy, you asked me if I believed in love at first sight.** _

 

“I had a strong reaction to a super hot guy. No big deal.” Tommy tried to play it off as he poured himself a bowl of cereal.

 

He had to be insane if he thought Winston would buy that shit. A familiar may not be able to read his master's mind, but he can feel his master's emotions and physical changes. It was damn near impossible for to lie to a familiar. _**Uh huh. No big deal.**_

 

“I probably won't even see him again. He's friends with Xander, after all.” Winston could feel Tommy's disappointment wash through him with his admission. He could feel that Tommy really did want to see this blue eyed Adam again, but Winston would have to agree with him, being a friend of Xander made those odds not in Tommy's favor.

 

Tommy finished his breakfast and made his way to the bedroom to get ready for the day. Today was going to be another long day at the Boardwalk. Business should be good since it was Xander's night at the Center. Business was always good when Xander wasn't there. Not to mention Tommy was always in better spirits. The crowds loved Tommy. They loved his cheesy fake illusions as well as his crafty, well designed real ones. It still baffled Winston how and why he hadn't made it to the Center yet.

 

Winston finished his breakfast as Tommy emerged from his bedroom, ready for the day. He looked different. Normal, but different. His hair was fluffier, his eyeliner was smudgier. If Winston didn't know better, he'd say Tommy was hoping Adam's words held true, and he did come back today. **Oh Tommy**.

 

“Are you ready, Rat?” Tommy asked as he grabbed his keys and bag of gear.

 

_**As ever.**_ A wave of worry and foreboding washed through Winston's tiny body.

 

Five hours into the day, Tommy was grumpy and forcing the smile that was plastered on his face. The booth had been busy since they'd set up that morning. Xander wasn't there due to his show that tonight, and the two other magicians hadn't shown up. Winston felt the tension coursing through Tommy, and it wasn't the normal stress of being slammed by eager bystanders. No. He was pent up and agitated. Winston had seen Tommy scanning the crowds all morning. He was looking for Adam. He wasn't even trying to appease the audience. He was unfocused.

 

_**Tommy.** _

 

_**TOMMY!** _

 

“WHAT!” Tommy yelled at Winston. The two women who stood at the booth looked at him like he'd gone mad. He gave them an apologetic look, grabbed his ear like he was wearing a blue-tooth, and mouthed for the women to hold on for a moment while he took a call. He stepped away from the table with Winston and then whispered angrily, “What?”

 

_**You're being a grouchy asshole.** _

 

“I am not.”

 

_**Yes, you are. You need to get your head on straight. You're the only one here today. You can't afford to scare away the paying customers.** _

 

Tommy let out a calming deep breath. “Maybe you're right. I'm just...I don't know. I'm just fucking jumpy today.”

 

If a rat could pat a human on the shoulder to console him, Winston would have. _**I know. Now get back out there. You haven't even done any real magic today.**_

 

“I haven't?”

 

_**No.** _

 

“Lame.”

 

Tommy went back to the group of ladies waiting at the booth, which had multiplied in number, and apologized with a charming smile. The women seemed smitten with his charisma and charm and immediately fell for his act. He began his routine, each women falling under his spell and staying there until the very end. When he was finished, each woman dropped ten dollars into the jar and thanked Tommy for the show.

  
  


**Sixty dollars in ten minutes, and two numbers.** It had always amazed Winston how Tommy had been able to do that . Without magic, he was able to talk almost any woman right out of her panties. He was also able to talk almost any willing man out of his pants, as well. It was a talent, really. It was one of the reasons he was so fantastic as a street magician. He didn't even have to use his real magic to wow his crowd. He just had to open his mouth and speak.

  
  


_**Two more phone numbers. How many is that this month?** _

  
  


“Too many,” Tommy said only half paying attention. “These poor girls don't have a clue.”

  
  


Winston had to laugh, which being a rat, sounded like a squeak. _**Then you need to stop fucking them with words.**_

  
  


Tommy shot Winston a look like he was crude before he too began to laugh. “Can't. I like the money.”

  
  


_**Whore.** _

  
  


“Maybe.”

  
  


They both laughed some more. It was kind of like prostitution.

  
  


“Break time.” Tommy put up the twenty minute break sign as Winston climbed to his shoulder. They made the daily trek up and down the boardwalk, checking out the other booths. There weren't as many today, but there were several new ones. One booth in particular grabbed Winston's attention. Tommy hadn't noticed it yet, but as soon as he did, Winston would know it. Tucked between a jewelry booth and a blown glass booth sat Adam, in a booth that read _Therapeutic Hot Rock Massages and More._

  
  


Adam's booth was full of pamphlets and brochures and had a massage chair that was currently occupied by a large burly man in a plaid flannel shirt. He was face down in the chair, Adam behind him, working the muscles of the man's shoulders and upper back in small firm circles. He was talking as he massaged; the man in the chair nodded in time to Adam's words. After a few minutes, Adam finished, and the man got up and shook Adam's hand. He accepted a proffered pamphlet and tossed some cash in the tip jar before fading into the crowd.

  
  


As Adam was turning to clean up for his next person, he made eye contact through the crowd. An ear-to-ear smile erupted across his face and he shouted “Winston!”

  
  


Winston's first reaction was to look around to see who Adam was yelling at, since he rarely was called by his given name. When it dawned on Winston that Adam was yelling at him, he looked in Adam's direction again. He was making his way through the crowd, approaching the two at a leisurely pace. Tommy still hasn't noticed. He didn't even flinch at Winston's name being used. Winston debated whether or not to give Tommy a warning that Adam is fast approaching. He decided to let Tommy be surprised. Tommy had been cranky all day because of this guy, whether he admitted it or not. Tommy would be relieved to know he hadn't been stood up. Adam was, in fact, working as well.

  
  


“Hey,” Adam said, coming up behind Tommy and touching him gently on the shoulder.

  
  


Tommy turned, and his heartbeat immediately began to race as soon as he saw Adam. “Hey.”

  
  


“How are you? I was hoping you were here today. I wanted to come see you. Your magic.”

  
  


Tommy stood for long moments. In all their time together, Winston had never known Tommy to be speechless, until this guy.

  
  


“Uh, yeah. I'm here all day.”

  
  


“Great! I close my booth at 2:00. I'll come see you after that. Is that okay?”

  
  


Tommy looked up at Adam, brows furrowed in question. “You have a booth?”

  
  


Adam looked at the ground sheepishly. “Yeah. A massage booth. Over there.” He pointed in the direction of his booth, almost as if he were embarrassed. “I'm only here a couple times a week. My clientele is down, so I thought a booth might help.”

  
  


Tommy looked perplexed. His physical cues were telling Winston he was trying to figure out why this creature would have to work for anything. “That's cool. Uh. Yeah. I'll see you later.” Tommy turned to head back to his booth, walking faster than normal, as if he were trying to flee.

  
  


“Hey! Wait!” Adam called out. Tommy turned slowly to face Adam again. “What's your name?”

  
  


“Tommy.”

  
  


Adam smiled. “See you later, Tommy. I'm Adam, by the way.”

  
  


“Adam,” Tommy said with a lopsided smile before he turned on his heel and rushed back to his booth to finish out the afternoon in anticipation of Adam's appearance for his own personal performance.  


	4. Chapter 4

 

Here is the link to the picture that goes with this chapter. Hopefully it works. 

 

<a href="<https://www.flickr.com/photos/va_bites/15459239430>" title="chapter3 by Jamie, on Flickr"><img src="<https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5606/15459239430_0b66df6a9d_o.jpg>" width="688" height="923" alt="chapter3"></a>

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the afternoon, Tommy had been on his game. His attitude had done a 180, and he had been performing better then ever.

Currently, he was prepping for his next trick and Winston was being lightly scratched by a woman and her two male companions. Tommy had started with his normal smoke and mirrors magic, pulling Winston out of a hat, making the guy's watch disappear and then reappear. Now, he was moving on to the good stuff. The real stuff.

Tommy had turned to the trio, placing a small scrap of paper, a pen, and a colorful cardboard box on the table. “Okay, who wants to be the volunteer for my next trick?” Tommy asked with a smile.

The brown haired man standing in the center with his arm around the woman smiled at Tommy. “I will, Honey.”

“Good. This trick is easy. All you have to do is write down something that you want. Anything that will fit in that box. Write it on that piece of paper, and fold it in half.”

The guy grinned like the Devil. “Will you fit in that box?”

“Not even folded.”

Winston rolled his eyes. Tommy was a shameless flirt, but when it came to someone else blatantly throwing it out there, he saw them as fair game, and ten out of ten times, he secured himself a hefty tip when all was said and done.

The man's eyes grew wide with approval and obvious arousal. He bent over the table and picked up the pen. He quickly scribbled something down and folded the paper in half. Tommy smiled, his wide, thin, seductive smile as he picked up the paper, dropped it in the box, and closed the lid.

“Now, I want you to think about and concentrate on what you wrote down while I work my magic,” Tommy said, putting a corny emphasis on the word magic while giving the trio finger quotations.

Tommy picked up the box, rotated it in his hands, feeling every inch and every corner of the firm cardboard. He closed his eyes, focusing all of his attention on the box. Winston felt Tommy's pulse drop, indicating he was going in his trance like, magical state he entered to release his magical energy. For this particular trick, the young man must not have asked for anything extravagant, because Tommy was only under for mere seconds. It wasn't even long enough to strike concern in the passing bystanders.

When Tommy opened his eyes, he lightly rattled the box and smiled. The man's eyes lit up in awe as Tommy handed him the box. “Go ahead. Open it.”

Slowly, the man peeled off the lid. Just as slowly, his mouth opened in pure shock.

“What? What is it?” The woman asked in curiosity.

The man lifted the object out of the box. In his hand was a shiny silver locket engraved with the letters AGS. “I saw it yesterday at a jewelry store. I wanted to buy it for you with all of our initials, but it cost too much.” He looked at Tommy in disbelief. “How...How did you do that?”

“A magician never tells his secrets.”

The other man, a blond, looked over at the locket and then back at the couple who were now teary-eyed and canoodling through their shock. “You wished for that? So Annie could wear a piece of both of us with her?”

With that, all three became a giant, weeping, hugging, kissing clump. The brunette man who crudely flirted with Tommy in front of his apparent polyamorous partners, quickly threw a handful of cash into the tip jar and hurried off, now oblivious to Tommy and everyone else in the vicinity.

Winston climbed down to the tip jar to see the damage. **Tommy! That little threesome just left you $100!** It had been awhile since Tommy had made that big a tip off one trick. That must have been a really important and symbolic piece of jewelry.

“All in a days work, Rat. Somebody's gotta keep the crowd happy. We all know that cock-sucking asshole Xander doesn't do it.”

“Hey.”

Tommy turned around  of quickly to the sound of a not yet familiar voice. Winston felt Tommy's heart rate spike, and saw his face turn beet red, at the realization that it was Adam standing in front of him.

“Uh, Hey.”

“Am I too late, again?” Adam asked with a sweet smile.

“No! I was just cleaning up from another trick. Give me just a second,” Tommy said, turning back around and squatting to the ground where Winston was sitting next to the tip jar.

**Calm down, Tommy. I don't think he heard you. Or he doesn't care.** Winston tried to calm his nerves.

“How could he not. I fucking screamed it.”

**Just take a second and go talk to him. Wow him like you do everyone else.**

Tommy smiled at Winston before he stood back up, grabbed the break sign and the metal folding chair as he went. He placed the break sign on the table, earning a furrowed brow from Adam. “Private show? Look, with a front row seat.” Tommy put the metal chair down in front of the table. Adam looked up, and grinned brightly at Tommy, with a heartwarming, toothy smile. He sat down with an excited bounce and propped his elbows on the table.

“I feel special. Do I get a special meet and greet after the show too?”

Tommy blushed slightly, but seemed to find his normal personality again and fell into an easy banter. “That depends. The magician's manager can be a real slave driver. No breaks. No fun.”

“Who's his manager.”

“Rat.”

Both men broke out in laughter, at Winston's expense. Perhaps he should crawl up Tommy's pant leg and bite him, the bastard. Instead, Winston took that moment to crawl up the table and make his presence known, knowing Adam wouldn't be able to resist him, and in doing so, he would in turn temporarily ignore Tommy.

“Winston! You little cutie, you!” Adam said as he scratched Winston's head behind his ears. As predicted, Adam was completely ignoring Tommy. He could tell it was driving Tommy crazy, and Tommy knew he had done it on purpose. The downside of having a familiar, he was able to talk to Tommy all he wanted. Tommy was able to hear Winston, and no one was the wiser. If he talked to Winston, he looked like a crazy person talking to a rat.

When Winston had his fill of torturing his master, he scampered off. He knew Tommy would get him back in some way later, but he didn't care. It was worth it.

“You're rat is so adorable.”

“He's a pain in the ass.”

Adam just laughed. “He's a rat. How much of a pain in the ass can he be?”

“Ever had shit in your coffee?”

Adam couldn't hold back his chuckle. More than a chuckle really, more like a snort cackle. “Really? He shit in your coffee?”

“I swear the little fucker did it on purpose.”

“Tommy, he's a rodent. I don't think they have agendas.”

“You'd be surprised.”

If only Adam knew how deep Winston's agenda went. His entire life was to serve and protect Tommy. His agenda was to have fun while doing it. A little bathroom break in Tommy's morning brew when he pisses Winston off was all in good rodent fun.

Adam shifted in his seat and folded his arms across the table. He stared at Tommy for a moment and then reached out to fiddle with the random props on the table. Winston's top hat, Tommy's little box of magic, a handkerchief he throws over things when he needs them concealed, he even had a silly deck of playing cards that Adam managed to finger before Tommy had to stop him.

“So, Adam. What do you want to see?” Tommy asked, taking the cards from Adam's hand and placing them back to their original spot on the table.

“I don't know. The usual.”

Tommy raised his brow at Adam. He didn't understand why he wanted to see lame magic when he had Xander as a friend. Tommy was sure Adam could see all the “usual” he wanted with Xander.

“Define usual.”

“What's usual for you?”

“Changing the color of your eyes,” Tommy spat out without thinking. He could do it without any effort, but it wasn't usual. Thinking about that asshole Xander had always gotten him to where he wasn't thinking straight.

“That's not possible.”

“It's an illusion, just like anything else.”

Adam thought for a moment, contemplating Tommy's explanation. Tommy could tell that Adam didn't believe him, but the look in his eyes said that he wanted to believe him. It was almost as if there was a passion to believe Tommy in Adam's crystal blue eyes.

“Xander is the best magician in a three state radius, and he can't pull off an illusion even close to that,” Adam said, not trying to impugn Tommy, instead trying to playfully challenge him.

Tommy laughed half-heartedly. “Xander thinks he's the best magician in a three state radius.”

Adam smiled, clearly pleased that his unspoken bait had been nibbled. “Prove it.”

Tommy's eyes narrowed at Adam, giving him a half annoyed gaze. Winston knew he wasn't annoyed. It was more of an “Are you kidding me?” kind of look. He gave it subconsciously to anyone who suggested he needed to prove he's on the same playing field as Xander. Tommy walked around the table to stand in front of Adam. He knelt on the ground at Adam's feet, and peered up into the beautiful blues he was about to make disappear.

“May I?” Tommy asked, holding his arms up and motioning that he needed to cup Adam's face in his hands.

“Yes,” Adam approved, and Tommy moved in, cupping Adam's jaw in each hand. Winston felt Tommy's heart shudder and his body heat rise at the slight touch.

Winston watched from the ground, and noticed Tommy was not the only one being affected. Adam was staring into Tommy's eyes, which are only about six inches away from Adam's. “What color would you like me to change them to?” Tommy asked.

Adam thought for a moment before you answered. “Your eyes are gorgeous. Change them to the same color as yours.”

Tommy nodded his head and asked Adam to close his eyes. He leaned into Adam just a bit, going into his magic trance while he pulled the energy he needed to change Adam's eyes to his liquid caramel brown. As Tommy concentrated, Adam reacted visibly to the proximity. His breath hitched (audibly, to a rat's ear), with each exhalation of Tommy's breath. Winston was also able feel tiny vibrations coming off his body as he tried to sit still.

The whole process took a little over two minutes. Tommy blinked a few times, coming to from his magical state. Looking at Adam with his eyes closed, waiting in anticipation, Tommy looked childlike, anxious. Winston hadn't seen him like this. It was a beautiful thing to watch, but a scary thing to watch as well.

“Okay, open your eyes.”

Adam slowly opened his eyes, blinking several times to adjust to the intruding sunlight. Once his eyes were fully adjusted and he got his first full, good look at Tommy, he gasped and almost fell out of the chair. “Oh my God!”

Tommy grabbed a hold of Adam's elbow to keep him from falling. “What? What is it?”

“Your eyes. They’re, blue.”

Tommy got up from the ground and circled the table to uncover a small mirror he had among his many belongings. Sure enough, his eyes were blue, but not just any blue - Adam's blue. He turned back to Adam, handing him the mirror as he glimpsed his irises. Adam's eyes were caramel.

“Fucking hell! That's amazing! We switched eyes! How did you do that!”

Tommy shrugged his shoulders. “A magician never tells his secrets.”

Adam laughed. “Xander says that, but I know all his secrets.” Tommy cringed inwardly at the mention of his nemesis. “You're right though. He has nothing like this.”

That made Tommy smile.

“Shit. I have to go. Thanks for the private show,” Adam said as he got up to leave.

Tommy eyes deflated when Adam said he had to leave. “Sure. Anytime.”

“Rain check on the meet and greet?”

Tommy smiled with a light chuckle. “I'll talk to Rat.”

With an airy laugh, Adam wandered off, back in the direction of his booth. Winston felt a strange emotional response coursing through Tommy, and he couldn't put a finger on what it was, exactly.

“Rat, how the fuck did I do that?” Tommy asked, as completely baffled and in the dark as Winston was.

**I don't know, Tommy, but we both know how powerful you are. Maybe it was just a simple swap and borrow.**

“Maybe,” Tommy said as he watched his newly blue eyes slowly fade back to the familiar brown depths that held the secrets he kept locked tightly within.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

It had been a week since Tommy had traded eye color with Adam, and the same amount of time since Adam had been back to the Boardwalk. The first few days had been business as usual, with the exception of a newfound sense of edginess that lingered at the corners of Tommy's being. He charmed the women and men who stopped by the booth, visited the neighboring booths on his breaks, and welcomed the new tradesmen that showed up eager to become part of the local atmosphere.

It was around day three that Tommy's mood began to change. Slowly, he became cranky, snapping first at Winston and then at the foot traffic stopping at the booth to see him. Winston had to force him to take breaks, which just made things worse. He actively sought out Adam's massage booth, which hadn't been back. It only made his mood worse, which in turn made Tommy an even bigger asshole.

On day five, things came to a head when Xander approached the booth to harass Tommy. This was a normal weekly occurrence. Tommy usually handled it well, being well aware of Xander's tactics. He never got the rise out of Tommy he desired. This day was different. Whatever effect Adam had had on Tommy, no matter how many times Tommy denied it was Adam's doing, it had gotten him good, because Xander had Tommy by the balls. So much so that Tommy ended up in the security tent with handcuffs around his wrists and a stern warning of police involvement and suspension if anything were to happen again.

By day seven, an intervention was in order. Tommy was so damn pent up and ready to explode, one wrong move by anyone, even a poor innocent magic enthusiast, and Tommy's sweet little spot on the Boardwalk would be over, and his chances at landing a spot at The Center finished.

T **ommy, talk to me.**

He looked at Winston and rolled his eyes like the rat was interfering on his personal time.

**I mean it, Tommy. You need to decompress, or you're gonna screw this up. What's got you so pissed off?**

“I'm not pissed.”

Winston stared at him pointedly. **You threatened to bite my head off. Literally.**

Tommy sighed dramatically, girly almost, as only Tommy could do. “Jesus, Rat. I'm sorry. You know I'd never do that, right?”

**Yeah, but still. It's Adam. Isn’t it?**

Tommy sighed again, shifting in his chair. The Boardwalk was slow today. There was a slight drizzle, and the temperature was chilly. Tommy was able to talk freely with Winston without looking like he was talking to himself. Winston had asked him on multiple occasions why he didn’t cast a communication spell so they would be able to speak telepathically both directions. He always gave the same excuse, that he was afraid it would open up his mind to the rat, and he was adamant that he didn’t want his familiar to have access to his thoughts.

“Yes, Rat. It's Adam. I can't stop thinking about him. I like him, and I think I scared him off.”

Winston crossed the table to sit in front of Tommy. **How so? He didn't look scared.** Winston was able to feel the tension radiating out of Tommy. He was upset, angry, sad, scared, frustrated...a soup bowl of emotions stewing under his tight skin.

“I knew I could change his eyes. I could make it look like a simple trick. I wasn't expecting my fucking eyes to change! I fucking blew it!”

**You didn't blow it, Tommy. You know how a swap and borrow works. You have to borrow from someone else. He said he wanted your eyes. It didn't register with either one of us that the spell would borrow from you. We should have known, but it doesn't matter. He didn't look scared. He looked fascinated.**

“Then why isn’t he here?” Where's his booth?”

**Maybe he's had regular clients.** Winston tried to reassure him. He didn't know for certain that Adam wasn't spooked by the eye trick, but he honestly didn't appear to be. Tommy was just in semi-meltdown and needed reassurance.

“I guess so.”

The conversation was cut short by a group of small children in raincoats that said “Stephanie's Preschool.” There was about a dozen kids between the ages of three and five, and two women, one middle aged plump woman with blonde hair that was graying around the temples and the other in her early twenties with fire red hair, both arms sleeved in tattoos.

Tommy smiled large and happily, tucking his melancholy and aggravation away for the meantime. “Hey there! Are you little ones here to see some magic?” Tommy asked, and he was bombarded with a wall of yips, yells, and excited squeals.

Winston scurried down the leg of the table to get into place for the upcoming tricks. For about thirty minutes, Tommy was in his element, laughing and having a good time with the children. If anything was able to pull Tommy out of a funk, it was kids. He loved to perform for the little ones, even when it was only smoke and mirror. The light in his eyes shone bright and genuine.

When he'd finished, and the last of the group was out of earshot, Tommy made a sound of contentment. “That was fun.”

**You really like kids.**

“Yeah, I do.”

**You'd make a good dad.** Sometimes Winston said random things, but seeing Tommy with the children, it was an obviously true statement.

He looked at Winston with a strange scrunched face. “Rat, unless I can impregnate my future husband, that's never going to happen.”

Tommy picked Winston up and placed him on his shoulder and then put the break sign on the end of the booth. “Come on, Rat. Let's go hit a food stand before you get any weirder.”

The Boardwalk was quiet. The rain was still falling in a fine mist, so most of the booths had already packed up and called it a day. Down at the end opposite of where Tommy's booth was located was bustling with activity. It always was. It was where Xander's booth sat. Tommy chose the location of his booth solely based on the fact that it was on the opposite side of the Boardwalk from Xander, and as far away as possible.

Xander's booth stood in the middle, surrounded by food booths, jewelry booths, booths offering cleaning services, pampering services, pet grooming, and even attorney services. If Xander was there, no one ever closed their booths early. Today was no exception.

Tommy stayed along the outside, grabbing a sandwich from an outer booth and then making his way to a booth that said “Wiccan Art”. He thought they used the term loosely, but the art was earthy and beautiful, so he could look past the name.

“What do you think about this one, Rat?” Tommy asked, holding up a painting of a woman in a forest. She was standing amongst a densely wooded background, near a stream, with some type of wooden drum in her hands. She was wearing a white, sheer gown that appeared to be flowing in a breeze.

**It's nice.**

“It would go nicely with the furniture in the living room.”

Tommy handed the girl, dressed like she was straight out of Woodstock, some cash and thanked her. He turned, the smile on his face showed that he was happy with his purchase and momentarily in better spirits. He confirmed this mood when he stopped at a few more booths to make idle chit chat and purchase a few more odds and ends.

By the time Tommy and Winston were done, Tommy had added a pewter ring, a small pewter dragon, and had signed up for a weeks worth of cooking classes from a sweet, overly enthusiastic eighteen year old, who had wowed Tommy with a mean meatball. She’d told him she was saving money to go to culinary school in France. The look on Tommy's face told Winston he had plans of helping her dream of culinary school come along a lot sooner than she anticipated.

**What are you thinking, Boss?**

Tommy grinned mischievously as he handed Winston a small piece of meatball. “Taste this, and you'll know what I'm thinking.”

Winston took a bite. If a rat could portray a look of ecstasy, Winston was doing it. This girl deserved to have her own restaurant, not working the Boardwalk for tips. **What's your plan.**

“I could cast a spell, get her in, a scholarship, the whole nine yards, but she seems like the type of kid who really wants to earn it. So...”

**So, what?**

“I'm gonna make a phone call.”

Winston looked at Tommy, confused. **A phone call?**

Tommy smirked at Winston knowingly before rolling his eyes. “I have a friend. Remember Greg?”

**Yeah.**

“He's a chef. Owns his own restaurant. He studied in France. I'll introduce them, find out all the right people to contact, scholarship information. Maybe he can give her a job to help her out. I don't know.”

**That's really nice of you.**

“Thanks, Rat.”

The pair began to walk back to the booth, awkwardly with Tommy carrying an armful of stuff, and Winston on his shoulder. He didn't think it through before he bought a giant painting and smaller knick knacks. It wasn't a long walk, but long enough to be bothersome. They were halfway back to the booth when Tommy heard a low, smooth, familiar voice.

“Hey, Tommy. Let me help you.”

Tommy turned around, taken aback briefly at the sight of Adam standing in front of him. “Sure, thanks,” Tommy said, handing Adam the smaller items in his hands.

Adam shook his head back and forth. “Really, Tommy. This painting is bigger than you. Let me carry it.” Adam took the painting from Tommy, ignoring his protests and began walking toward the booth.

Both men walked in silence. Adam’s was a comfortable silence, his face beaming and content. Tommy was awkwardly silent, his face tight and contorted as if he wanted to talk but had no idea what to say.

When they reached the booth, Adam sat the painting down behind the makeshift wall and moved to stand in front of Tommy. He smiled sweetly, all his perfectly white teeth managing to shine even in the dull haze of the overcast sky. He looked good. His eyes were bright and his skin had a glow. His hair, though wet and matted down in spots due to the rain, even had a certain air to it that said he was well. Nothing about the way he was looking at Tommy said he was or had been freaked out by Tommy's magic trick.

“So, how have you been?” Adam asked, looking at Tommy with intent eyes. His eyes almost appeared to be searching, like he was looking for any traces of blue left behind.

Tommy stepped back a bit from the intensity of the gaze. “I'm well.”

Adam's smile widened at that, like he was genuinely pleased that Tommy was well. He stepped to the table and began to fiddle with the things on Tommy's table...again. He liked to do this. He was a fiddler. He fingered the pewter ring and dragon that Tommy had just bought, grunting out an approval before he spoke again.

“Sorry I haven't been back to see you sooner.”

Tommy shrugged his shoulders like it wasn’t a big deal, but Winston could feel that it was. Tommy's emotional and physical changes couldn't be hidden. “It's okay. You don't owe me anything.”

Adam stepped up into Tommy's personal space. He lifted his arms like he was going to touch Tommy's face, but then quickly dropped them back to his sides. “No, I do. I feel like I left you thinking I freaked out, and I want you to know I didn't. I really did have somewhere to be.”

“Ok.”

“I got so caught up with your trick. I lost track of time. You really are an amazing magician.”

“Thanks.”

Adam turned away, his cheeks turning the slightest shade of pink. “I wasn't kidding when I said I was obsessed.”

Tommy smiled this time, making Adam blush a bit deeper. “Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me.”

They stood there for the first comfortable silence of the afternoon, smiling at each other like idiots. Tommy's hormones were making Winston want to go and run under a bus. It was times like these that made being an empath intolerable. Winston made his way down to the floor, and instead of biting Tommy's ankle, this time he bit Adam's.

“Ow! Winston! You bit me!”

Tommy laughed, knowing full and well why Winston did it.

“Still think he doesn't have an agenda?”

Adam picked up the rodent and began to scratch his head. “He's just feeling left out and neglected. Isn't that right, Winston?”

“Just watch your coffee.”

The both laughed.

“So,” Adam said as he finished scratching Winston and put him back down on the table. “Has Winston approved my meet and greet?”

Winston felt Tommy's heart rate stop and then rapid-fire in his chest. Tommy looked at Winston and then back at Adam.

“I don't know. I'll have to ask. Rat?” The look on Tommy's face was both amused and terrified.

**Tell him Tuesday evening at 7:00, and to meet you at Murphy's.** Tommy nodded his head, winked and turned back to Adam.

“Tuesday, 7:00, Murphy's.”

Adam raised a brow. “Winston told you that?”

“Sure.”

“Okay. Tuesday it is. As with all meet and greets, I expect an autograph.”

Adam smiled, and reached over to pet Winston's head one last time before he left. He and Tommy both seemed happy with the arrangement, and Winston felt the somersaults Tommy was doing internally. It was going to be a long four days before Tommy would see Adam again.

“Oh, by the way. My booth will be back on Monday. You should stop by and get a massage. These hands can work a little magic of their own,” Adam said as he waved his hands in the air with a bit of a jazz finger before he turned on his heel and disappeared down the Boardwalk.

Yep, a long four days indeed.

****  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

Bewitched

 

It was Monday and Tommy had been on some type of high all day. Overly enthusiastic, over confident, speedy, loud, entertaining, it was all good for business, but to the average eye he appeared to be under the influence of some mind altering substance. He wasn't, however. He was just anxious and pent up about his lingering date and massage that was happening in less than half an hour. If his emotions and physical clues were any indication, it was the potential physical contact that had him running around like a maniac.

“Ok, Rat. Everything's cleaned up. We can go.”

**Do I really have to go with you while you get manhandled by your man candy?**

Tommy poked Winston playfully and picked the rodent up and onto his shoulder. “Yes, Rat. You do. You're supposed to be my protector remember? You have to go everywhere I go.”

**There have been a few times I wish I hadn't had to go. Somethings can't be unseen.**

Tommy just laughed an evil, maniacal laugh. He knew what Winston was talking about, the bastard.

“Don't be so dramatic, Rat. Besides, you know if you come with me, Adam will call you Winston and gush over you and scratch your head. Don't pretend you don't like it.”

**I don't.**

“You lie.”

He laughed again and began to walk the short distance to Adam's booth. When they arrived, Adam was talking to an elderly couple, holding out an open pamphlet and pointing to the inside as he spoke. He smiled widely as he talked, staying engaged and interested through the whole conversation. Once he was finished, he handed the couple a business card and shook both of their hands. He spotted Tommy as the couple retreated and waved him over.

“Hey, Tommy. You're just in time. I'm done for the day. Come and sit down.” Adam motioned for Tommy to sit in the massage chair. Tommy did as he was asked, depositing Winston on the table. “Don't worry, Winston. You're next,” Adam said with a wink to the rat.

Adam walked around to Tommy’s back and placed his hand on his shoulders. He lightly skimmed across Tommy's shoulders, down his upper back, around, back up his shoulders and through to his neck. Tommy shivered at the touch. “Hmm. I can feel several knots all throughout your upper torso, neck and shoulders. I'll start with some light touches and then work into some deep tissue. If anything hurts or is uncomfortable, just let me know.”

Tommy shook his head in approval and buried his head into the donut shaped head of the chair. Adam began on Tommy's left shoulder, working light circular movements, manipulating the muscle and tissues until they were completely pliant under his touch. Once this was accomplished, he moved on to the next area and repeated the process. If there was a particularly pesky knot, he would deepen the contact, earning himself an approving moan from Tommy.

By the time Adam was finished, Tommy was nearly asleep and drooling in the chair. Adam nudged him a few times and Tommy jumped up with a start. “What? What'd I miss?”

Adam giggled. “I'm finished.”

Tommy looked around, gathering his bearings. “Fuck. Did I fall asleep?”

“I don't think so, but I do think you were close.”

Tommy was sitting up now. He moved his arms and neck around feeling the difference. “Damn. You weren't lying. Your hands are magic.”

Adam blushed. “If you ever need my services...”

“I'll give you a call,” Tommy said, reaching over to the stack of business cards. He slipped one into his pocket.

Adam smiled. “Sure.”

Breaking the tension, Winston scurried up to Tommy's shoulder, making his presence known. Adam broke eye contact, his gaze coming to rest on Winston.

“Winston! How could I forget my favorite little rodent! Come here. I'll give you a rat sized massage,” Adam said in what could only be described as half baby voice, half lullaby.

Adam took Winston off of Tommy's shoulder and held him in one hand while he scratched and rubbed the rat with the other. He scratched his head, moved down and rubbed his neck and back with tiny circles. When he was done, he turned the rat over and did the same thing to his belly and each of his legs. He finished by scratching his chin. By the time he was done, the poor rat was fast asleep. He snuggled Winston to his nose before he handed him back to Tommy.

“I adore your rat.”

Tommy rolled his eyes as if Adam were insane and smiled. “Still on for tomorrow?”

“Absolutely. There's an autograph I'm entitled to.”

Tommy nodded his head. “See you at seven.”

“Can't wait.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Tommy was at Murphy's at 6:45. Not sure whether to get a table or wait, he opted to get a drink at the bar and wait for Adam. Tommy slid onto the bar stool, resting his elbows on the counter, interlocking his fingers in front of him. Winston crawled out of Tommy's inside jacket pocket to go find a place to keep watch.

The bartender approached with an overly warm smile - the usual reaction when Tommy went out. This young lady was pretty, young, maybe twenty-one or twenty-two, with hair as brightly blonde as Tommy's. She was wearing Murphy's signature uniform, jeans and a black logo t-shirt. Her t-shirt was fitted tightly to her body, and her jeans hung just low enough on her hips to show the smallest strip of tanned skin along her middle. “What can I get ya, darlin'?” she asked with a sweet southern drawl.

She leaned over the bar, putting all her assets on display. By the sly return smile Tommy gave her, he was in a flirty and playful mood. “You look like you know your way around a bar.”

“I sure do, sweet thang.”

Tommy gave her his biggest, panty dropping smile. “Surprise me, then.”

She nodded in agreement and sauntered off to prepare his drink. As he waited, he looked around the bar. It was slow tonight. Of course, it was a night The Center was open, so being slow at seven was normal. Once Xander's show ended, the foot traffic would pick up significantly.

“Here ya go, darlin',” the bartender chirped as she placed Tommy's drink in front of him.

“Thanks.”

She winked and pushed the bill folder towards Tommy. She turned on her heel, and walked down the bar towards another customer.

**I bet I know what's in there.**

“I do too. A check.”

**A check with a phone number.**

“Or an address, or a time her shift is over...” Tommy trailed off as he opened the folder. He chuckled lightly as he placed some cash inside. “We were both right. A phone number AND the time her shift ends.”

“Are you gonna keep that?” His voice crept over Tommy's shoulder, bathing him in a blanket of soothing melody. Tommy turned around and smiled at Adam as he slipped onto a stool beside him. Tommy lifted his glass and took a sip of his drink. It was unexpectedly refreshing. Dry and citrus. He'd expected a fruity, girlie concoction.

“Not my type.”

Adam raised a perfectly sculpted brow. “What's not to like? She's gorgeous and obviously interested.”

The look on Tommy's face said amused, but the emotions flooding his body were a confusing garbled mess.

“For starters,” Tommy began, taking another long drink from his glass; he must have been calming himself, because his heartbeat was slowing from a strong fast thud, to a slow, constant thump, “I'm not really a fan of bold declarations of attraction. At least not at a first meeting. I like a good chase.”

Adam waved down the bartender and placed his order. He stared at Tommy intently. When the bartender returned with his drink, she gave Adam his check and gave Tommy a hopeful glance before going back to work. Adam opened his bill folder and chuckled, holding it up for Tommy to see the lack of a phone number. He gave a defeated shoulder shrug which earned a return chuckle from Tommy.

Picking up his drink, Adam stopped in front of his lips, the glass resting on the swell of his full lower pout. “You don't strike me as the type that needs to chase the opposite sex.” He took a long, sensual drink from his glass that made Tommy's throat constrict.

Despite the slow cat-and-mouse type relationship the men had started, Tommy was very much fearful that Adam was or would not be interested in that way. He'd read signals incorrectly before. It happens, but this time, with this man it would be much more difficult for Tommy to deal with.

“I don't NEED to chase anyone. That's part of the problem. I get numbers daily.”

“Not modest, are we?” Adam laughed.

Tommy shoved him lightly on the shoulder. The light physical contact sent shivers through Tommy's frame. “I can't help it that I'm pretty and can talk to people. It's a nuisance really. That quick, immediate acknowledgment of attraction and intention. If you put it all out there at the beginning, what's left to uncover?”

Adam regarded Tommy intently for long moments. The look in his eyes intense, almost searching. Tommy looked fascinated and terrified by the silent scrutiny. Winston silently reassured him that Adam was just trying to figure him out, but his emotions were showing his doubt and uncertainty like a beacon.

“You are fascinating, Tommy,” Adam said as he finished off his drink. Something buzzed in his pocket and he retrieved it. “Looks like our table is ready. I hope you don't mind, I put in for one when I got here.”

“I don't mind,” Tommy said as he slipped off the barstool and followed Adam into the restaurant. He didn't even turn to see the disappointed look on the bartender's face when she saw the receipt with her number still sitting snugly in the sleeve of the bill folder along with her tip, and a small parting gift Tommy placed inside in the blink of an eye, not a person around him the wiser.

Dinner progressed pleasantly. Both men making small talk and getting to know each other as they ate the best burgers the town had to offer. Tommy told Adam about working at the Boardwalk. He had set up the booth when he was twenty-two, right after he graduated from college. He told Adam that he’d studied and got his undergraduate in biology and chemistry, due to his fascination with science. It was true, but Tommy's fascination stemmed more from wanting to understand how he was able to manipulate the elemental foundation of the world around him, and to have a better understanding of the natural elements of his practices. Ultimately he knew he'd never use it outside of his own little world. By way of explanation, he just stated that he had it as a backup if his magic didn't work in his favor.

He explained all his experiences and fun at the Boardwalk, and how he hoped to headline at the Center someday. Adam gave him words of encouragement, but Tommy grimaced. He knew he'd never get the chance as long as Xander was around.

“Not if Xander has his way,” Tommy said under his breath.

Adam gave Tommy a sympathetic gaze. He leaned across the table and grasped Tommy's shoulder in understanding. “Xander's not that bad.”

Tommy gave him a very stern stink eye. Adam just chuckled and retracted his hand. Tommy felt at a loss. “Really, Tommy. He isn't. I've known him for years. He's one of the nicest people.”

“Not to me.”

Adam caught Tommy in his penetrating blue stare. “That's because he's jealous of you. You can do things he can't and he doesn't know why. It drives him crazy.”

Tommy looked confused. “How do you know?”

Adam broke off his intense stare, looking away, like he was caught in a lie. He took a sip from his glass of water, brushing off the discomfort, replacing it with his familiar warm composure. “Like I said, I've known him for years. Your name has come up more than once. I didn't know you were the Tommy until I came to town.

Tommy stewed on this for a few moments. Adam, in a weird, distant way, had known Tommy long before he ever even laid eyes on him that day at the Boardwalk. Did he seek him out on purpose? Surely not. Xander couldn't have said anything flattering about Tommy that would make one of his friend's want to meet him.

Changing the subject to something Tommy had been curious about, he asked. “So what brought you to the Boardwalk, other than low clientele? I mean, I've never seen you before. If you're friends with Xander, I'd remember seeing you around.”

Adam was doing his familiar habit of fondling everything on the table. “I just moved here, actually, about two months ago. I was my grandfather's caregiver. He passed away.”

“I'm sorry,” Tommy said with sympathy.

“It's ok. He lived a full life. I'd grown up with him, and he was a solid figure in my life. I miss him, but he wanted more for me, so when he was gone, I had to move on.”

“That must have been hard.”

Adam smiled. “Not really. His last words to me said all I needed to know.”

Tommy looked into Adam's blue eyes, searching their depths for the emotions Adam was very impressively keeping at bay.

“What did he say?” Tommy asked, his throat dry with anticipation.

Adam's stare bore into Tommy with such force, it had to have been reaching Tommy's soul. Winston set perched at alert in the corner, in as much anticipation as Tommy. By the stiffness in Adam's shoulders, and the longing look on his face, what his grandfather said had to have been monumental.

“He told me that I would find my destiny where the sun kisses the shore, and the magic blankets the bustling crowds with its affectionate promise of life and love.”

“That's intense,” Tommy said.

Adam's eyes fell away from Tommy as he sighed, hiding a long felt emotion. “He was always intense...and cryptic. He was always telling me riddles about my future, my destiny, my happiness. He too, had an obsession with magic. He was just more literal.”

Tommy swallowed a sip of water. His throat had gone completely dry. “How so?” Tommy knew most people were oblivious to the fact that a supernatural force did in fact exist. For most it just didn't register as possible. To others, they were skeptical. The small percentage that did believe either knew the truth and had to hide it behind riddles and lies, or were open minded enough to question what they knew to be the truth. Adam's grandfather seemed to be a believer.

“He believed, like really believed magic was a real thing, not just the illusions you see in a show. I remember, I was six years old. We were sitting on the porch swing watching the fireflies. I asked him what makes the fireflies glow. Wanna know what he told me?” Adam asked, looking at Tommy with waiting eyes.

“What did he tell you, Adam?”

Adam twisted one of the drink napkins between his fingers as he spoke. “Magic,” he said, smiling shyly.

Tommy returned his smile, enjoying Adam's childhood tale. He wanted to know more, everything Adam was willing to share. Adam had a hold on Tommy, and Tommy couldn't quite put his finger on how it happened so quickly.

“I believed him.”

“What six-year-old wouldn't?”

“The kind that would never sit outside in the dead of winter, with snow on the ground, watching fireflies.”

Tommy's eyes grew wide and his throat dry again. He glanced in the direction where Winston sat hidden behind a rack of coats and jackets. They made brief eye contact, acknowledging the small revelation Adam had just unknowingly revealed. His grandfather was a witch.

Adam must have seen the look of shock on Tommy's face, because he gave Tommy the most sincere understanding set of blues Tommy had ever seen. Tommy forgot what he was thinking about when those eyes were trained on him. “Crazy, I know. I spent years trying to figure it out, but never could. That's what started my obsession.”

“Your grandfather sounds interesting,” Tommy said, honestly wishing he could have met a fellow witch. He'd only ever met his own kin, never a witch from another clan.

Adam chuckled lightly. “You could say that. Most people just thought he was crazy. I thought he was different...special.”

Tommy raised a brow in Adam's direction, quizzically. Adam picked up on the questioning expression.

“His riddles. Sometimes they made sense. Like his last one. My destiny lies where the sun kisses the shore...obviously that means the ocean, or a lake or something. The magic blanketing the crowds with affection...it represented somewhere magical or where magic was present. The Center, the crowds, the boardwalk is on the shore...”

“And it happens to be known for it's magicians,” Tommy added.

Adam nodded in agreement. “It made sense that I ended up here. Some of his other riddles,” Adam sighed again, “they didn't seem like words of wisdom. They were more like...I don't know. Incantations or something.”

“Incantations? Like spells?” Tommy tried to sound skeptical, but knew full and well it was possible, and more than likely exactly what his grandfather was doing.

“I know! Why do you think almost everyone thought he was crazy! He probably was, but when I think of the fireflies, it makes me want to believe he WAS special.”

Tommy reached across the table and placed his hand on top of Adam's, which was still twisting the napkin. He gave it a light squeeze. Adam looked into Tommy's eyes, rolling his hand over so it was palm up, inside Tommy's warm embrace. Tommy smiled and spoke softly. “He was special. To you. That's all that matters.”

Adam averted his eyes, glancing down at the table. Tommy felt a heated pang in his chest, almost an ache he couldn't describe. It was unfamiliar, but one he felt himself welcoming. It seemed to be screaming at him that this was it. He didn't know what exactly, but it undoubtedly involved Adam, and Tommy very much wanted it.

“Thank you,” Adam said sincerely. A wave of something washed over Tommy, and at that moment he wanted nothing more than to lean across the table and taste Adam's full smiling lips.

Before he had a chance to act on his impulse, he saw a flash of fur at the corner of his vision. Winston had left his post of lookout and was approaching the table from the shadows. Within minutes, Tommy felt the familiar patter of claws and feet scamper up his pant leg and into his lap.

**We have trouble**. Concern etched Winston's voice. Tommy lowered his free hand to rest next to Winston below the table, tapping his knee twice in response, code for Winston to know Tommy wanted to know what the problem entailed. **Bella. 3:00. Sneaky bitch. She's in male form sitting at the table with the redhead. She's been watching you with Adam.**

Tommy tapped his knee once in understanding. He knew what Winston was saying. Bella was WATCHING. She already knew Tommy was attracted to Adam. He should have known she'd tail him, disguise herself so she could spy and get enough information to persuade Tommy to use his magic selfishly. Tommy knew her game. She was normally upfront in her taunting. Disguises were rare. She must really be interested. It was an unnerving thought.

Tommy was not a fool, however. No matter the tricks, Bella would NEVER win his soul.

Tricks or no, Bella was bad news, and Tommy needed to get Adam away from her. Reluctantly, he pulled his hand away from Adam and cleared his throat. “It's getting late.”

Tommy could swear for a brief fleeting moment that Adam's face fell with a hint of disappointment. He quickly recovered to his bright, shining self and stood from the table.

“It's been a wonderful evening.”

“It has.”

“There's just one thing missing,” Adam said as he rounded the table, stopping in front of where Tommy stood.

Tommy's heart began to race, every nerve ending alive with awareness. Adam's proximity was intoxicating, but with Bella's dark stare boring a hole through his skin, it was hard to dwell on it as much as he would have liked to.

“What?”

Adam's lips spread into a sly smile, and he leaned down to whisper into Tommy's ear. “My autograph.” Adam stood back straight, the smile still plastered from ear-to-ear.

Tommy rolled his eyes and began to laugh. “You're a dork.” He reached over the table, grabbing the pen left by the waitress to sign for the bill, as well as the only napkin to survive Adam's fidgeting. He quickly wrote out a short note and then scribbled his name across the white paper. He handed it to Adam. “Here ya go.”

Adam took the napkin from Tommy and turned it over in his hands to read. “To my favorite fan. May you find your magic on the shore, Tommy.” Adam looked at Tommy with an unreadable emotion in his eyes. He looked shaken, but kept it under wraps, only his eyes showing that he was affected by Tommy's words.

“So, I'll see you around?” Tommy asked hopefully.

Adam smiled warmly, affectionately. “Yeah.” That's all he said, but the look on his face was all Tommy needed to know he would most definitely be seeing Adam again.

****  
  



	7. Chapter 7

Bewitched

Chapter 6

It had been a month since Tommy and Adam spent their first evening together at Murphy's. In the weeks that followed, the two men had spent a significant amount of time together, both on and off the Boardwalk. Instant friends, the men shared a bond that even Winston couldn't deny. They were electric together, a force of nature that, for the first time in Tommy's life, felt authentic and real. He was smitten, and with each passing day his affections grew stronger.

It was easy to find himself falling for Adam. With his brilliant blue eyes, dark silky hair, and body, strong and lean, he was without question the most gorgeous man Tommy had ever seen. But Adam was more than just his visible beauty, he was one of the kindest, sweetest, and most passionate souls. The more Tommy learned about the man, the faster he fell.

Over the time they'd spent together, Tommy had learned everything there possibly was to know about Adam. He learned that Adam was not only close to his grandfather, but was in fact raised by the man. Adam explained that his parents died when he was just two years old. His grandfather had taken him in. He didn't remember his parents. He only knew that they had died in a strange accident in the woods outside their home. His grandfather had told him years later that they were attacked by some sort of wild animal. However, Adam explained that the look in his grandfather's eyes held a different story. Tommy briefly wondered if their death may have been at the hands of a supernatural force - demons, werewolves, any number of creatures' attacks would easily be mistaken for a wild animal.

Adam told tales of his grandfather and all his whimsical doings. Adam recalled times when his grandfather would somehow conjure items out of thin air. One story Adam told was of a time his grandfather was teaching Adam how to change a tire. Adam had left the tire iron in the garage, and the next thing he knew, his grandfather had ended up with it in his hands. Adam swore there was no way the old man had it with him, even though he told Adam he happened to be carrying it.

Adam also told of times when the weather would mysteriously change. He'd be crying because the rain kept him indoors, and almost instantly, the sun would break through the clouds. Or when he'd broken his skateboard and sent his grandfather out to see it. The old man came back in with an uninjured board, stating there hadn't been anything wrong with it.

The clues were all right there. For years they were staring Adam in the face, and for whatever reason, he never took the leap of faith to believe them or push his grandfather for the truth. At the same time, it was as if Adam's grandfather wanted him to know, but for whatever reason couldn't or wouldn't tell him.

They'd talked about Adam's life as an adult, going to school to get his massage therapy license while taking care of his grandfather. He spoke of his love for his job, his love for the life he had, and despite his grandfather's insistence that he was meant to have more, he was happy with his life.

They’d shared everything about themselves, everything that could be shared, except for one topic.

Relationships.

Tommy was itching to know about Adam's romantic life. He didn't understand how someone as perfect as Adam seemed to be wasn't involved with someone. He obviously wasn't with anyone, with as much time as they had been spending together, but Tommy wanted to know for sure. He was fairly certain Adam was on the same radar, and Tommy wanted very much to explore something beyond friendship with Adam.

He decided he'd ask him about it that afternoon when they met at Murphy's for lunch. They would discuss their past relationships and current ones, and if the coast was clear, he was going to ask Adam officially out on a date.

~ ~ ~ ~

**Tommy, calm down. You're going to break something.** Winston tried to relax Tommy as he rampaged through his apartment, hellbent on destroying everything in his path.

“I can't believe it! I can't fucking believe it!” Tommy picked up the small pewter dragon he’d bought weeks earlier and hurled it at the wall. “Xander, of all people! Why fucking Xander?”

Tommy and Winston had arrived home from a revealing lunch with Adam. Tommy had asked him about his love life and regretted it almost instantly.

The conversation started off normally. Tommy mentioned that they had spoken about almost everything except love. Adam seemed to stiffen immediately at the mention, but proceeded with the conversation.

Tommy told him all about his escapades on his road to self discovery, and that he'd never been in love before. Adam countered that he too had never been in love, but hoped to one day find it. He explained that his one and only serious relationship had lasted for four years. He and his partner had parted ways when a long distance relationship became their only option.

“It's okay, though, because I wasn't in love with him. I know he loved me, and I always felt guilty that I couldn't return his feelings. The break was the only fair option for him,” he’d said.

Many drinks into the conversation, Tommy had felt loose enough to be bold. He’d leaned across the table, taken Adam's hand in his and asked the question he’d been dying to ask for ages.

“Adam, would you want to go out on a date with me?” Tommy gave Adam his award winning, panty-dropping smile he always used on the girls he flirted with.

All the color drained from his face and the smile faded when he saw the look on Adam's face. Rejection.

“Oh, God, Tommy. I like you. I really do, and I love hanging out with you. You're my best friend, but...” Tommy cut Adam off mid-sentence.

“You're not interested.”

Adam squeezed Tommy's hand, meeting Tommy's eyes with an apologetic gaze. “It's not that. You're gorgeous, Tommy. Insanely gorgeous, actually. And you're sweet and funny and adorable. I would say yes without hesitation if I weren't...”

Realization dawned on Tommy's face. “Seeing someone.”

“Yes. I'm sorry, Tommy.”

Tommy put up his hand to silence Adam. Adam's mouth faltered, and Tommy put on a smile to hide his disappointment. “Don't be sorry for being with someone. I just hadn't realized.”

“How could you? I've never mentioned it. I'm still sorry. I should have said something with all the time we spend together.”

Tommy gave Adam a quizzical look. He himself was wondering why they spent so much time together if he had a boyfriend. “Why do you spend so much time with me? Shouldn't you be with him? Doesn't it bother him?”

Adam looked away sheepishly. “He works a lot, and you're my best friend. He knows you're important to me.”

“You've mentioned me?”

Again, Adam looked uncomfortable. “Yes. I've mentioned you. He was a little mad at first because it was you, but he's okay with it now.”

Tommy caught the phrasing Adam had used. “What do you mean because it was me?”

Now Adam looked really uncomfortable, and Tommy's gut was telling him he didn't want to know the answer to his question.

Adam sighed, resigned, and spoke in a hushed rush. “It's Xander.”

Tommy's stomach dropped to his toes. He felt like he was going to puke. Of all the goddamn people in the world, Adam had to be dating his arch rival.

“Xander,” Tommy said, letting the acidic name roll hostilely off his tongue. “How long have you been dating?”

“Since before I met you,” Adam stated honestly. “He's the same guy I dated back home for so long.”

“The one you didn't love?”

“One in the same.”

Tommy was shaking. He hoped it wasn't visible, because he was trying his damnedest to keep his composure. He knew he had no right to feel anything other than disappointment, but right now, he was damn pissed and holding back one hell of a tantrum. “If you don't love him, why go back?”

Adam's face contorted into a mask of emotion that tore at Tommy's heart. It was pained and lonely. “My grandfather's words. They meant Xander.”

Tommy sat silently, going over in his head the story of Adam's grandfather and his cryptic last words. He was a witch, Tommy was sure of it. He seemed to be giving Adam hints of finding his happiness on the shore...in a town with magic in its blood. He couldn't have meant Xander. Xander was a fake.

Tommy stood up abruptly, running his fingers through his hair. “I have to go.” He pushed away from the table, turning. The need to get away from Adam was like a physical pain. If he didn't, he feared he would do something he'd regret.

“Tommy, wait. Don't do this,” Adam pleaded, fear that Tommy's departure was final etched in the fine lines of his features.

Tommy faced Adam, calming his nerves. He took a deep breath, meeting Adam's fearful blue eyes with his own tormented brown. “I'm not doing anything, Adam. I just need to go process.”

“I don't want to lose you over this.”

Tommy reached out and touched Adam gently on the shoulder. “I'm not going anywhere, Adam. I promise. It's just overwhelming. Give me a day or two.”

“OK.” The look on Adam's face didn’t convey  confidence in Tommy's response. The look broke Tommy's heart. The confusion Tommy felt was exasperating, but he knew without a doubt that leaving Adam was never going to be an option.

He swooped in quickly, wrapping his arms around Adam in a tight embrace. Tommy held on tightly, like a lifeline, trying to pass all his honesty and feelings into the one simple gesture. “I promise. Just give me a few days. I promise.” Tommy unraveled himself from Adam's waist and exited in haste, leaving Adam alone in the middle of the restaurant.

~ ~ ~ ~

The apartment looked like a tornado had swept through it. Tommy had expended all of his rage and energy destroying everything in his path and now sat slumped on the couch, his breathing ragged, his heart choppy. Winston was more worried than he'd ever been. He hoped Bella wasn't watching through any of her windowed portals into Tommy's life.

**I'm sorry, Tommy.**

Tommy looked at his rodent confidante. “Why, Rat? Why?” Tommy looked completely defeated.

**I don't know.**

“It doesn't make sense. Any of it. The foreshadowing of his grandfather, why he would go back to someone he doesn't love, just because his grandfather said he...” Tommy trailed off. Winston could see the light bulb turn on in Tommy's mind.

“It's me.”

**What's you?**

“The riddle. He isn’t meant to be with Xander, Rat. He's supposed to be with me. I'm the magic his grandfather was talking about.”

Winston crawled to sit next to Tommy, his black eyes focused on his master. **It would make sense. But he's with Xander. What can you do that doesn't make you a risk to Bella?**

Tommy's lips curved into a knowing smile. It sent shivers through Winston's tiny body.

**  
**“I woo him, Rat. I woo him.”


	8. Chapter 8

**_I know what you're thinking. How can Tommy possibly woo the beautifully oblivious young man when Adam wholeheartedly believes in his grandfather's foretelling. I can tell you, there is much more to this story. Besides being a witch, Tommy has many talents. I've known Tommy since he was four years old, the day I became his familiar, and I can tell you without a doubt Tommy always gets what he wants._ **

****

**_But he's never met anyone like Adam, and he's never wanted anything more._ **

  
  


_One year and seven months ago..._

 

Three months. That's how long it’d been since the disastrous date which had revealed Tommy's worst nightmare. Adam was involved with Xander. It went without saying that this came as a shock to Tommy, a gut punch to the senses that left him equal parts angry, confused, and determined.

 

He'd spent two weeks isolating himself from the world. Other than spending a few hours a day on the Boardwalk earning his rent, he was a recluse. He didn't go out, and he most definitely didn't see Adam. Adam had tried to contact Tommy with texts, but Tommy ignored them. It broke his heart, and Winston could tell that with each passing day, Tommy was losing a part of himself.

 

This didn't sit well with Winston. He knew that any fragile crack in Tommy's mind was an opening for Bellaepharant to twist to her own agenda. Tommy was strong, but even the strongest minds break, given the right circumstances.

 

Tommy was strong. After two weeks of isolation, he emerged, confident and acting like his normal self. He was a hit on the Boardwalk, busier than he'd ever been, and throwing caution to the wind while performing his tricks. He never did anything extreme enough to be discovered, but he was bold enough to get noticed, really noticed for the first time. Winston was confident that the Center would be knocking on their door soon.

 

Tommy reached out to Adam. He called the distraught man on a Tuesday, a night Xander was at the Center.

 

He asked Adam out for drinks. The look on Adam's face as he took in Tommy for the first time since their horrible night was telling. Winston could tell with that one look just how important Tommy had become to Adam in such a short time. His fear, however, was that it would never be the kind of importance that Tommy felt towards Adam.

 

By the end of the evening, the men were back to being themselves. It was as if nothing had happened between the two and they'd been best friends for years. Tommy was smiling again, and Adam was as happy as a clam.

 

Tommy's words came back to Winston as they drove home from the men's reconciliation. “Rat, do you believe in love at first sight?” The feelings that raced through Winston’s tiny body, and the feel of Tommy's heart bumping in his chest, made Winston believe. Yes, love at first sight was in fact possible, and Tommy fell victim at the curve of Adam's soft smile.

 

Tommy spent the next several weeks working on their friendship, getting Adam comfortable with the fact that Tommy wasn't going to run again before he upped his game. He began to text Adam more, call him in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep, and he wasn't afraid to use Winston as bait. One thing Adam was unable to resist was Winston, familiar extraordinaire.

 

At that point in time, Adam was completely comfortable with Tommy. They did everything together, would talk about anything except the elephant in the room - Adam's relationship with Xander. Tommy needed to know the details of their pairing in order to use the information in his attempt to woo Adam, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. It felt as if something died inside Tommy every time Xander's name was mentioned.

 

Winston encouraged him. He coaxed Tommy to buck up and breach the topic with Adam. It was his only way to get the ammunition he needed to prove to Adam that Tommy was the one he needed, not Xander.

 

As with everything that was Tommy, when he finally decided the time was right, he went to the extreme. Several more weeks passed before Tommy decided the best course of action was not to ask Adam about Xander, but to see them together. Needless to say, Adam was nervous with the idea of Tommy and Xander sharing space and air, but after some careful persuasion by Tommy, Adam decided that Tommy was right. His best friend and his lover needed to meet, officially, and break down some of the hostile walls they had been building for years.

 

Xander wasn't so keen on the idea at first, but having Tommy and Xander get along was important to Adam. With a bit of brow beating, Xander agreed, and they set a date at the end of the month when the Center was on hiatus, and the men had ample time to sit down and get to know each other.

 

~ ~ ~ ~

 

“Tommy, I'd like you to meet Xander, my boyfriend...officially,” Adam said with a heartwarming smile on his face.

 

Tommy was in no way happy to be meeting or sharing his Adam time with Xander, but he knew it was a necessity if he ever planned on winning Adam's heart. Besides, the look on Adam's face was pure pleasure. Tommy couldn't help but want to give Adam anything he wanted in that moment. “Xander,” Tommy said with much difficulty, trying to hide the tension in his jaw and the clenching of his teeth.

 

“Tommy.” Xander held out his hand for Tommy to shake. Tommy took Xander's hand and gave it a firm shake, conveying his confidence and position in the simple gesture. He looked Xander up and down while their hands were still connected. Xander was an inch or two taller than Tommy, with shoulder length blond hair and bland brown eyes.

 

**So Adam has a thing for blond hair, brown eyed, delicate looking men.** Winston was somewhere in the bar, keeping watch from his hidden corner. Tommy always laughed thinking about what kind of chaos would happen if someone discovered a rat in the restaurant.

 

Winston had a point.

 

Besides the lack of luster in Xander's eyes, he was for all intents and purposes an attractive man. Tommy was in no way attracted to him. Tall, dark, and all consuming was more his type, and blue eyes turned him into putty every time, but he understood why others would see Xander in a positive light. He was delicate in the rest of his features. Tommy scrunched up his nose at the realization that Winston had called Tommy delicate.

 

Pulling his hand away from Xander, Tommy motioned in the direction of an empty table in the bar. Murphy's had become Tommy and Adam's home away from home. It felt only natural to have the awkward first meeting in a place they were both so comfortable.

 

“Sounds like a great idea. After you, Baby.” Tommy cringed at the sound of Adam's voice uttering a term of endearment to Xander. He coughed out a reply that sounded like “you first” after Adam motioned Tommy ahead as well.

 

The three men sat down in an empty booth, Tommy on one side, Adam and Xander on the other. Tommy attempted to smile at both men, but it felt forced.

 

The waitress quickly approached the table and took their orders. Adam ordered the lemon concoction Tommy had grown fond of at their first meeting at Murphy's, and Xander ordered a beer. As delicious as the lemon drink was, Tommy needed something stronger to get through the evening. He ordered a double shot of tequila.

 

Only a few uncomfortable moments of silence passed before the waitress was back with the drinks. She placed the drinks in front of each man, her gaze lingering on Tommy as she left the table. Tommy grinned knowingly as he picked up his drink and threw it back in a one-two punch. Some things never change. He'd graciously declined the advances of this particular waitress several times, but she stayed ever persistent. He glanced over the table at Adam, who sat expectantly, waiting for the conversation to begin. Tommy smiled warmly at Adam before turning his attention to Xander. Might as well get the ball rolling.

 

“So, Xander. Adam tells me the two of you have been back together since he moved here,” Tommy said, setting the pace and mood of the conversation to his terms. If he had to be the one to start the conversation, he then had the right to end it if it turned into something he didn't need or want.

 

Xander cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable with communicating with Tommy outside of their normal insults and barbs. “That's right. We broke up when I moved here. It only seemed natural that we picked up where we left off when he moved here, as well.”

 

“Ah, yes. You were together a really long time before. What was it like picking up again after what? Almost a year apart?”

 

Xander smiled at Adam and laced their fingers together on top of the table. “Easy, actually. It took me off guard, too.”

 

Tommy raised an eyebrow, trying to fake interest. “How so?”

 

Adam and Xander looked at each other as if silently asking who was going to answer. Xander turned back to Tommy and began to speak.

 

“Adam and I broke up on good terms, but it felt final, like there was no going back to what we had. I didn't even approach him when I learned he was in town. It was a pleasant surprise when Adam approached me.”

 

“Adam approached you?” Tommy glanced at Adam, and Adam looked sheepish, almost embarrassed by the confession.

 

“He did,” Xander explained. The look of happiness on Xander's face had Tommy wishing like hell that he could cast a spell to make Xander turn green or something equally as juvenile. “He told me he missed me and wanted to give it another go.”

 

Tommy faked a sincere smile. It didn't surprise him that Adam made the first move, not with his grandfather's words ringing through his ears, but to hear it spoken was like getting bamboo shoved beneath his nails.

 

**Look at Adam, Tommy**. Winston's voice inside Tommy's head caught him off guard. Winston was being uncharacteristically quiet. Tommy had almost forgotten he was there.

 

Tommy looked at Adam and focused on his eyes. His face as a whole pulled off a convincing portrayal of happiness. To the normal passerby, he would have read as a man happy and in love. His eyes held the truth, and Tommy could see it plain as day.

 

**You see it, don't you? He wears a good mask, but you and I can see through it. He's not happy, Tommy. He looks lost.**

Winston was on to something, but Tommy wouldn't have described it as lost. No. Adam looked miserable. His eyes couldn't hide it, and his earlier confession of never falling in love with Xander despite their very long relationship confirmed it. He still didn't love Xander, and never would.

 

That was all Tommy needed to decide to begin his attempt at winning Adam's heart. He had never failed to get what he wanted, and Adam was no exception.

 

The men continued their evening over drinks and food. It took every ounce of strength Tommy could muster not to jump across the table and pummel Xander when he made a comment about Adam's waistline thickening from all the burgers he'd been eating.

 

Xander obviously didn't appreciate the specimen of man that was placed in his lap. Adam was beautiful, not an ounce of pudge on him. He had filled out a bit since Tommy met him, but where Adam was skinny before, he looked healthy and fit now.

 

Xander's inappropriate comment didn't stop Adam from ordering a burger, but the look on Adam's face told Tommy it had bothered him. If Tommy's plan worked, he would make it his mission to worship every inch of Adam's body and show him just how perfect he was, every day and every night.

  
When dinner was over and everyone went their separate ways, Tommy had solidly fallen into his resolve. Xander didn't deserve Adam. He turned out to be not as much of an asshole as Tommy once thought, but Tommy was certain Xander was NOT who Adam's grandfather meant in his cryptic prediction. Tommy knew it would not be easy, but he knew in his gut, given enough time, he would have Adam - in his bed, in his arms, and in his heart, permanently. Adam would give him his heart freely as he was never able to do with Xander.


	9. Chapter 9

 

Tommy spent the next few weeks monopolizing as much of Adam's time as possible. If Adam was working the Boardwalk, Tommy and Winston were there getting world class massages. While Xander was at the Center, Adam and Tommy were at Murphy's, laughing and conversing until last call. The men were as close as two people could be without being lovers, the intimacy there and radiating like a beacon.

As close as they were, and as much time as they spent together, neither men had entered the others personal space. Tommy was uncomfortable being in the apartment Adam shared with Xander. They’d cuddled in that space, had sex in that space. Tommy wouldn't be able to sit on their couch without wondering if Xander had had his hands, mouth, or other body parts on Adam in that very spot. Tommy hadn't invited Adam over to his apartment because the time just hadn't been right.

Until now.

Tommy's planning had been carefully constructed down to every little detail. Tonight was the next step in the process. He would invite Adam over for delivery and movies, and canoodle his way into Adam's arms. Nothing drastic, but up to this point there has been no physical contact with the exception of Tommy's massages and the occasional brotherly hug. Tommy's plan involved bringing physical intimacy in, a cuddle while watching movies, affectionate hugs. Slow and steady was the key.

Tommy picked up his phone and punched out a message to Adam.

T: You wanna hang?

Adam's response was almost instant.

A: Sure. Murphy's?

T: Was thinking Chinese and movies at my place.

Several minutes passed with no response, and Tommy's hopes began to sink. “Fuck, Rat. He's supposed to say yes.”

**He will, Tommy. Just be patient.**

“Easy for you to say. He fucking loves you. I have to be sneaky and shit.”

Winston laughed in Tommy's head. **Tommy, you're irresistible to others. You don't have anything to worry about. I assure you.**

“You're lips, Rat.”

**You do realize I don't actually have lips.**

“Huh?” Tommy looked at Winston who was perched on the coffee table, a confused expression in his eyes.

**You say that a lot, but I don't, in fact, have lips.**

Tommy rolled his eyes and threw a magazine at Winston. Winston scurried away, barely avoiding impact. He ran over to Tommy and bit his ankle.

“Ow! You little fucker!” Tommy was ready to retaliate when his phone buzzed announcing an incoming text. It was Adam.

A: OK

T: Be here at 6:00. We'll stuff ourselves full of chicken and broccoli and have a movie marathon.

A: See you then. :)

Tommy's gut twisted in excitement. Adam was coming to his apartment. He was going to be in Tommy's domain, his inner sanctuary. He felt himself harden with the idea, and multiple scenarios instantly ran through his mind.

He cupped himself and adjusted into a more comfortable position. Perhaps he should jerk-off a few times before Adam arrived. Tommy knew he couldn't control his reactions to Adam, but he damn well needed to be able to control his actions. It wouldn’t be in anyone's best interest if Tommy were to try and jump Adam. No, that wouldn't do at all.

“Rat, I'll be right back. I need to go...take care of something before Adam gets here.”

**Take care of something? By something you mean Little Tommy.**

“Shut up, Rat.” Tommy glowered, turned and walked toward the bedroom.

**Go on. Go take care of Little Tommy. Just don't be too loud. It's bad enough I have to feel it. I don't want to hear it.”**

“I hate you.”

**No you don't.**

Tommy grumbled something incoherent as he entered his bedroom and shut the door.

~ ~ ~ ~

Four hours and three self inflicted hand jobs later, Tommy waited patiently for Adam to arrive. He'd gone over the entire night in his head with multiple scenarios and outcomes. One scenario involved Adam and Tommy cuddling on the sofa, Tommy inching his fingers closer and closer until their hands were intertwined. Another involved the same cuddling, but when Tommy touched Adam's warm fingers, Adam would grab his hand and yank Tommy forward until their lips crashed together. And yet another that ended in no clothing and a very satisfying blow job.

As amazing as the latter scenarios sounded, Tommy's goal for the night was closeness. Cuddling, hand-holding, it didn't matter as long as one of the two happened. Anything more would be an added bonus.

The doorbell rang, and Tommy jumped off the couch and crossed the room at lightening speed. He opened the door and was greeted by Adam's ridiculously large, bright smile. He looked amazing. His hair was fluffed as if it air dried after a shower, and he was wearing a plain t shirt and track shorts. Tommy had never seen Adam anything less than immaculately put together, and the leisurely look was both refreshing and adorable.

Adam began to fidget on his feet under Tommy's gaze. Tommy hadn't realized he was so openly raking his eyes up and down the other man.

“Is this okay? I figured since we were staying in, I'd be more comfortable.”

“It's fine. You look adorably fluffed.” Tommy stepped to the side and ushered Adam inside. Adam ran his hand through his hair, looking embarrassed at Tommy's observation.

“I brought some movies. I hope you don't mind. I didn't know what you have here, so I swung by a video store and picked up a few new releases.” Adam held out the DVD's for Tommy to take. Tommy grabbed the movies and looked through the titles: one action movie, one comedy, one horror, and one romance.

“If we start right now, we can watch all of them,” Tommy said. He walked over to the TV and squatted down on the floor. He opened one of the movie boxes and removed the disk. “We'll watch the action and horror first, get the high octane adrenaline out of our system. Then we can relax during the comedy and romance.”

“You don't look like a romance kinda guy to me,” Adam said with a quirk in his brow. He’d moved over to the couch and taken a seat in the middle.

Tommy turned and gave Adam his biggest, toothiest grin. “Oh, I'm very much the romance kinda of guy. Just not that into the movies.”

Adam looked taken aback. “Oh, I'm sorry. We don't have to watch it. I just got one of everything. I didn’t know what you’d like.”

Still smiling and aware of the prickles dancing at the back of his neck, Tommy popped in the movie and went to sit beside Adam on the sofa. He was tickled pink that Adam chose to sit in the middle. It made the seduction easier, less ground to cover...literally. “S'Okay. I'll watch anything if it means spending time with you...my best friend.” Tommy corrected at seeing the flush of red settle into Adam's cheeks.

Tommy smiled, not acknowledging Adam's discomfort. Tommy knew through Adam's own admission that he was attracted to Tommy. If Tommy used that bit of information in anyway, Adam would balk and possibly run. That was the last thing Tommy wanted, so he ignored the flush in Adam's cheeks and the stiffness in his shoulders.

Adam smiled back shyly, then turned to face the television. “Let's get this movie marathon started.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Halfway into the action movie, Tommy was relaxed and enjoying the guns blazing and ass kicking going on. Adam looked like he was about to fall asleep.

It was adorable yet disconcerting all at once. Was he tired? Bored? Not having fun? Tommy momentarily felt self conscious. “Don't like the movie?” Tommy questioned.

Adam's eyes opened wide, and he wiped his hand over his groggy looking eyes. “Sorry. Shit. I'm being rude.”

“You're not being rude,” Tommy insisted.

“Yes. Yes I am. Action is not really my genre. I'm more of a lover than a fighter.”

Tommy's face softened, and he looked at Adam with such affection. The man was adorable, and he didn't even realize it. It made Tommy fall farther and farther in love with Adam.

Yes, it was true. Tommy was head-over-heals, irreversibly in love with Adam. He knew it the moment he looked into those clear, blue eyes. He confirmed it when he switched eyes with Adam and got the eery feeling of looking into his own. With each moment he spent with Adam, he fell farther and harder.

“We don't have to watch this one if you don't like it,” Tommy offered, wanting to give Adam anything and everything he desired.

“No. I want to.”

Tommy chuckled at Adam. He attempted to make his declaration sound confident, but the look on his face told another story. “No you don't.”

Adam's face turned serious. “Yes, I do, Tommy. I want to do anything that involves us together.”

Tommy couldn't hide his look of shock. Adam just declared he wanted to do anything if it meant doing it with Tommy. This couldn't be better.

At that moment, Winston decided to make himself known. That damn rat could be a pain in the ass, but he always knew when Tommy needed his assistance. He showed up right as the awkwardness was setting in to lighten the mood.

“Winston!” Adam cooed at the furry rodent. “I didn't even know you were here.”

“He's always here,” Tommy added.

Adam looked around, curiosity etched in his features. “Does Winston just run free around here? I don't see a cage.”

“He doesn't have one.”

“Aren't you afraid he'll shit on your furniture or something?”

Adam is so cute. Tommy had to grin. “He's litter trained. He never shits anywhere but his box.”

**That's not true, Tommy. I also shit in coffee.** Winston scurried up Adam's leg and snuggled himself into the middle of his chest, seeking refuge from Tommy's hard gaze and playing up Adam's affection for him.

Fucking rat.

“That's awesome. I didn't know you could train a rat.”

“There's a lot of things you can do with a rat.” Tommy thought about this comment for a moment. God, that sounded weird. He cleared his throat and hit a button on the remote to restart the movie he'd stopped while they were talking. “Back to the movie?”

“Absolutely.”

Tommy, who was facing Adam on the sofa, did a strange twisting booty bounce which turned his body away from Adam and landed with his back resting against Adam's arm. He waited with baited breath for Adam's reaction.

Adam hesitated for a brief moment, before he smiled his sweet, full smile and lifted his arm to wrap around Tommy's shoulder. Tommy snuggled down into the crook of Adam's arm, turning his victorious grin away from his love.

**Smooth.** Winston burrowed more tightly into Adam's chest, curling into the tiniest ball he could manage. Adam's other hand went up to caress the rodent's head. If only Adam were aware of the pissing contest going on between human and rat.

“Can't think of a better way to spend the evening with my two favorite boys.”

Adam didn't even notice what he'd said. Xander should be his favorite “boy”, but no, Adam didn't say that. By the leisurely way it rolled of Adam's tongue, Tommy knew it was his subconscious talking. He was stating his true feelings, and Xander wasn't a part of it.

“So...if you look past the ass kicking, you'll see this is a romance.”

Adam looked at Tommy bewildered. “Yeah?”

“Sure. See that guy there shooting everyone in a blaze of glory. He's killing everyone to find the guy that kidnapped his wife. He's fucking everyone up that crosses his path to get her back.”

Adam thought about it for a moment before he nodded in agreement. “I see it now. I've never looked at it that way before. I can never see past the blood and violence.”

Tommy fist pumped mentally with triumph. “Stick with me, kid. I told you I was romantic.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Movie one finished without a hitch. Tommy stayed snuggled to Adam's side, and Winston fell asleep on Adam's chest. Once Adam saw the underlying story, he fell into it and truly enjoyed himself.

Movie two, the horror was much more eventful. Come to find out, Adam wasn't a fan of horror either. If Tommy had to guess, he'd put money on Adam being a nightmare kind of guy. It was endearing.

Ten minutes into the movie, at the first kill scene, Adam jumped so high he bucked Winston right off his chest. Winston grumbled something about finishing his nap in the bedroom before scampering off. By the second scene, Adam had turned toward Tommy, buried his head into Tommy's neck and only watched through his splayed fingers.

Tommy took the opportunity to shift his body so his arm was around Adam. Tommy was on cloud nine. Nothing could be more satisfying than having the man he loves tightly wedged into him for protection. Tommy could think of a few things that actually did sound more satisfying, but now was not the time. He was content just having Adam's warmth radiating into his body.

When the movie ended, Adam quickly sat up, looking embarrassed. As if he were just now realizing what he was doing, he straightened his shirt and cleared his throat. “Uh, sorry.”

“For what?”

“Invading your personal space. I get a little creeped out by horror movies. Silly, huh?”

Tommy leaned towards Adam, placing his hand on top of the hand that was resting on Adam's thigh. He looked into Adam's icy blue eyes. “It's not silly. We all have fears. I'm afraid of frogs.”

“Frogs?” Adam asked, and Tommy nodded. Adam laughed loud and bellowing.

“What? They're slimy and smell like pond scum.” Tommy began to laugh himself as the ridiculousness of his fear crept in. He couldn't help it. Those little bastards were creepy.

“Anyway,” Tommy dragged out, changing the subject, “no need for you to be sorry. I liked the closeness. I'm a very touchy-feely person.”

“Yeah?” Adam looked down at Tommy's hand on top of his and flipped his hand so their fingers were entwined. “Me too.”

Tommy smiled and squeezed Adam's hand. The night couldn't have been more perfect.

****  
  



	10. Chapter 10

****  
  


Tommy woke the next morning tangled in his sheets and covered in sweat. “Rat! Rat!” he yelled from his bed.

Winston climbed the bed and sat next to Tommy, atop a mound of sheets. **Present.**

“Not the time to be a smart ass, Rat. It happened again.” Tommy let out a deep breath, calming himself, and wiped at the greasy sweat on this brow.

**What happened again.**

“Bella.”

At the mention of the demon's name, the hair on Winston's back stood. Winston had been diligent in keeping tabs on the gender-swapping demon since the first dream she’d invaded. With the exception of the one night at Murphy's, Bella had been silent. Winston was smart enough to know when it came to Bellaepherent, silence meant more reasons to worry. He figured she was up to something, but her silence made it difficult to figure out exactly what she was planning.

**What did she do? What did she say?**

“Fuck, Rat. She said she knew I was in love with Adam. She said it was only a matter of time before she broke me.”

**That's not so bad, Tommy. She's grasping at straws, and she knows it.**

“It gets worse.”

**Continue.**

Tommy jumped off the bed and began to pace the bedroom floor, wearing a faded pattern into the rug. In doing so, he buried Winston under a mound of blanket. Winston began digging his way out as Tommy continued.

“She said she would have my soul, but that's not all she wants anymore. She wants Adam too.”

Breaking the surface of the fabric mound, Winston walked to the edge of the bed. **You know she can't do that.**

“She can, Rat! You and I both know she's more powerful than me. If she wants him, she can make it happen.   She’ll find a way. Especially if it’s a way to get to me.”

**She's bluffing, Tommy. Don't let her get to you.**

“No she's not. I can feel it.”

Tommy stormed out of the room and headed toward the kitchen. He stopped momentarily to look at the couch, remembering the previous night and being so comfortable in Adam's arms. He heaved out an angry breath and finished his short trek to the kitchen.

He opened a cabinet and began sifting through his charm supplies.

**Tommy, what are you doing?**

“I have to keep an eye on him. Make sure he's safe.”

**Tommy. You can't do this. You're playing into Bella's hands.**

Tommy waved off Winston's concern. “It's not about me, Rat. It's about keeping Adam safe from that bitch. Not against the rules.” Tommy hurriedly began to throw a slew of ingredients into a pot and lit the flame on the stove.

**I suppose you're right. Just be careful.**

Silence descended, and for the next thirty minutes the only sound coming from the apartment was the gurgle of boiling liquid. When the noise from the pot subsided, Tommy took out a pair of tongs and retrieved a beautiful shining stone. It was about the size of a quarter and resembled a cat's eye, only a deeper amber, almost matching the color of Tommy's eyes. He quickly set it into an amulet with a long silver chain. He held it up to inspect.

“A seeing eye spell. I'll be able to keep an eye on Adam, keep him safe even when I'm not there.”

**I hope you know what you're doing.** Winston trusted Tommy, but he couldn't help but worry.

“I do,” Tommy said, looking pointedly at Winston.

Tommy retrieved his phone from the coffee table and punched in Adam's number. Adam answered on the second ring.

“Hello.”

“Hey, Adam.”

“Tommy! How are you this morning? Getting ready to go to the Boardwalk?”

“No. I'm taking the day off. I just wanted to tell you how much fun I had last night.”

“Me too.” Tommy could feel the smile in Adam's voice. “It sucks you're taking the day off. I have to be there. We could’ve hung out.”

“S'okay. I just wanted to tell you I had fun and tell you I have a present for you.”

“Really! Bummer I won't see you. Now I have to wait to get it.”

Tommy smiled a shit-eating devilish grin to himself. He was about to wow the socks off Adam. “No you don't.”

“I don't?”

“Nope. Close your eyes.” Tommy paused. “Are they closed.”

“Yep.”

“Okay. Don't open them until I say.” Tommy placed the amulet between his cupped hands and closed his eyes. Concentrating on the long line of Adam's neck, he pictured Adam wearing the amulet in his mind. He concentrated hard, shaking and vibrating by the time he opened his eyes. “Now open.”

Tommy waited a beat, giving Adam time to open his eyes.  “Now go open the front door.”

A heartbeat passed before Tommy heard Adam's quiet gasp for air. “Oh my god, Tommy. How did you...”

Tommy had made the amulet appear hanging from Adam’s doorknob.  He could have easily made it appear already around Adam’s neck, but Tommy thought subtle was better.

“Magic,” was Tommy's only response.  Adam wasn’t dense.  Tommy knew Adam would eventually figure it out.  Tommy knew Adam already had his suspicions.  For whatever reason, however, Adam remained mum.  He never questioned Tommy’s one word answers.

“It's beautiful.”

“I just wanted to give you something to show you how much I adore you...and our friendship,” Tommy added as an after thought.

“I adore you too, Tommy.”

Tommy's belly lept into his throat. Giddy didn't even begin to describe the way he felt. “Well, I better go. Promise me you'll wear it?”

“I'll never take it off.”

Tommy said goodbye and hung up the phone. Relief washed over him knowing he could now keep an eye on Adam and keep Bella away.

“It's done, Rat.”

H **e'll be okay, Tommy. He will.** Winston reassured his witch.

“Your lips, Rat. Your lips.”

~ ~ ~ ~

_**The amulet was against my better judgement. A seeing eye spell sounded harmless enough, but let me explain how they work. They see everything, and I do mean everything. As long as it was on Adam's neck and absorbing his energy, it would transmit images to Tommy and I, like reality TV.** _

__

_**Anything and everything that Adam did or didn’t do would be available to dissect and judge. That’s what scared me the most...Tommy having access to Adam's life with Xander. Let's just say he was playing a dangerous game, and I prayed to any God or Goddess that may exist that Tommy wasn't playing right into Bella's hands.** _

__

Everything seemed to go well, to Winston’s surprise. Tommy created a window through his watch. A window was nothing more than an enchanted piece of glass that allowed Tommy to see anything needing to be seen. In this case, that would be Adam. Tommy would normally use his bathroom mirror, but obviously that wasn't something he was able to just up and carry it with him. So he invoked the watch and began the massive invasion of privacy.

Adam was a pretty routine guy. He got up at the same time every day, went for a jog, and then breakfast, which was always the same - oatmeal, wheat toast, and a blood orange. The first time they witnessed this routine, Tommy freaked out over the orange. He went into a fit, ranting on and on about it being a sign that Bella had been there. Winston had to reassure him for twenty full minutes that it was just fruit.

Once he'd eaten breakfast, he'd shower (the feelings that shot through Tommy every time he happened to be watching were almost unbearable for Winston), get dressed, and then take a last look in the mirror. Every time, he would clasp the amulet in his hand and smile affectionately. This always made Tommy's heart flip. Finishing his last once over, he would walk into the bedroom, kiss Xander's sleeping cheek, and head to either work or the Boardwalk.

The days he went to work, Tommy and Winston had gotten to watch him at his best. The massages they receive at the Boardwalk were magnificent. He'd rubbed Winston into a drooling slumber more times than not, but at the Boardwalk Adam only had a setup for chair massages. In his office, the client was at the full mercy of his amazing hands.

There were two rooms, both with tables, low lights, and relaxing spa music. One room was set up for Swedish massages, the other set up for hot rocks. Adam in action was like an elite athlete in the middle of an event. He put everything into his craft. He started at the client's shoulders, working each muscle until it was visibly loose and limber. He worked downward, hitting each muscle on his way. Sometimes he moved past the client's back to massage their ass, but only on the full body, deep tissue, medical massages. Winston remembered during one conversation at Murphy's, Adam had told Tommy he’d taken extra classes to extend his credentials to include not only therapeutic massages, but sports ones as well. Sports massages differed from therapeutic in that they were meant to help reduce injury, therefore included the glutes and chest.

From there, Adam moved onto the client's arms and then the back of the legs, not missing a single inch of exposed skin and muscle. At this point, the client flipped, and Adam repeated the process on the other side. On the men, he would massage their entire chest; for the women, he would work out their kinks down to their breast before moving on to their legs.

By the time he was finished, half his clients were drooling all over the table and sawing logs. Winston knew the feeling. Adam's hands were magical, and their spell was sweet slumber.

Bringing up magic, Tommy and Winston had both been baffled by Adam's reaction to the necklace showing up on his door out of the blue. He hadn't brought it up to Tommy, and beside his initial awe, hadn't brought it up at all. It was as if he didn't notice, (which obviously he did), or he'd become numbed to Tommy's tricks. The men had spent months virtually connected at the hip. It was possible Adam was just used to Tommy's oddities now.

This didn't sit well with Tommy. The last thing Tommy wanted was for Adam to stop noticing the small things Tommy could do that Xander couldn’t. It was what set him apart, and he was counting on that difference being the driving force behind his ultimate seduction.

For weeks, day in and day out, Tommy and Winston watched Adam. The same routines, the same activities. The days the men spent together, Tommy was elated and bursting with a happiness Winston had never seen. The days they were apart, Tommy was fixated on his watch, and looking for signs of Bella.

It all moved along smoothly until the one thing that potentially had the ability to send Tommy right into Bella's web happened. Adam and Xander had sex, and Tommy had to watch the whole thing.

~ ~ ~ ~

“Come on, Baby. You're killing me here.” Xander was standing behind Adam pressed against his back, his teeth nipping at the soft skin where Adam's shoulder and neck meet.

Adam gently shook him off and took a step forward, turning to face his frustrated boyfriend.

“Xander, we've been over this.”

Xander glided forward, snaking his arms around Adam's waist, looking the reluctant man in the eye. “Come on, Adam. We've been back together for months.”

“That doesn't change anything.”

“We used to do it all the time.”

“Things change.”

Xander let out an exasperated breath, disentangling himself from Adam and stalking across the room. He turned, his gaze turning to one of irritation.

“What changed, Adam? What?”

Adam continued on with his nightly routine, one Tommy and Winston had witnessed and never faltered: another shower, pajamas, and skin care. Tommy and Winston had joked at the beginning about the pajamas. Adam seemed more like a naked sleeper. He finished his skin pampering before addressing Xander. “I changed. We changed.”

“We didn't change. We're the same as we've always been, which is great together.”

“I told you, Xander. I never really liked it.”

“Bullshit. You used to beg for it.”

Adam crossed the room, stopping in front of Xander and placing a warm hand on his cheek. It was a comforting touch, and Xander melted into the contact. “I never begged for it. I wasn't opposed, but it wasn't my preference.”

“If you aren't opposed then...” Xander put his arms around Adam's midsection again and captured his lips in an inviting kiss. Adam kissed back with lukewarm feeling.

“I don't like where this is going, Rat.” Tommy was standing in his bathroom watching the interaction between Xander and Adam unfold in his two way enchanted mirror.

**Stop watching, Tommy. Why do you torture yourself?**

Tommy didn't answer. Instead he kept watching with obvious tension in his jaw.

Adam pulled away from the kiss. “Xander, please...you're not going to change my mind.”

There was a mixture of hurt and anger in Xander's eyes. “So I'm supposed to just keep spreading my legs for you, but you won't do the same for me?”

“If you want to keep having a sexual relationship, then yes. That’s the only option there is.”

Xander stormed away from Adam and flopped down on the bed, crossing his arms over his chest. The look in his eyes was both sad and like he wanted to tear the apartment apart.

“It's that little blond asshole, isn't it?”

**He must be talking about you.**

“Shut up, Rat.”

Adam crossed over to where Xander sat on the bed and dropped to his knees in front of the fuming man. He placed a hand on each of Xander's thighs just above the knee. He looked up at him with sympathetic eyes.

“It's not Tommy, Xander. Tommy is my best friend, but YOU are my boyfriend. It's just...” Adam looked down for a moment while he gathered his thoughts. “We were together a really long time. It wasn't always good times either. You know that. I think you also know that is part of the reason we broke up. I want to do it right this time. Giving you that part of me isn't easy. You know why.”

“I told you then that I was sorry.”

Adam shook his head as to shush Xander. “ I know you did and you are, but the insecurity is still there. I need to know this is going to work before I can give that to you.”

Xander looked remorseful and on the verge of tears. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Adam's head and shoulders. “I understand, Baby. I do. And I'll do whatever it takes to erase those days from your head.”

Adam hugged him back and the two men sat in silence for long moments. When Xander finally pulled away, he was red faced and his eyes had a touch of moisture. “Adam?”

“Yes, Baby.”

Xander looked into Adam's eyes with a pleading expression. “I won't pressure you anymore. When you're ready, you'll tell me. But until then, will you...be with me?”

He said it so softly and so sweetly, Adam's lips curved into a smile. He pushed up off the floor and leaned forward until Xander was on his back, and Adam was propped over him on his elbows. Adam's hands crept down to Xander's belt and began to unbuckle it slowly. “Anything you want, Baby,” Adam whispered as he sealed his lips over Xander's waiting mouth.

~ ~ ~ ~

**I may throw up.**

“Can a rat throw up?” Tommy asked no one in particular. He was pacing the floor of his apartment with his hands tangled in his hair. “Jesus! Why did I watch that?”

Tommy had watched the entire session of lovemaking that occurred between Adam and Xander. It made his insides heave and tighten, and Winston felt a rush of emotion come off Tommy in waves. They were so strong and so jumbled together, Winston couldn't figure out exactly what they were.

**You're a glutton for punishment.**

“Not in the mood for your sarcasm, Rat.” Tommy looked pointedly at Winston who was sitting on the coffee table. “God, Rat! I know he’s with Xander, but...”

**You forgot sex was part of the deal.**

“He doesn't love him, Rat. Why would he?” Tommy looked so desperate and alone in the moment that Winston scrambled up to Tommy's shoulder to show him some rat-like comfort.

**Lots of people have sex without feelings, Tommy. You do it all the time.** Winston as usual was the voice of reason. Tommy let out a long, painful sigh.

“Fuck! What am I supposed to do now?”

**The same thing you've been doing.**

Tommy looked at Winston for guidance. He really was falling apart, which was unusual for Tommy, and an over-exaggerated reaction to something that should have been a given. Winston would have rolled his eyes if he thought Tommy would see it.

**Tommy, look. Nothing’s changed. Adam is in a relationship with Xander. As uncomfortable as it was to witness the intimate details of that relationship, it doesn't change the fact that it was expected. You need to look at the situation strategically.**

“How so?” Tommy stopped pacing and moved to sit on the couch. Winston jumped down and retook his spot on the coffee table.

**What did you see through the mirror?**

Tommy cringed. “A whole lot of body fluid.”

**Focus, Tommy. Did you look at Adam?**

“Of course I did. I wasn't going to look at Xander.”

Winston knew Tommy too well. Snide comments were his defense mechanism, and when he put his wall up it took Winston forever to get through his thick head. **Tommy, did you look at Adam's face?**

Tommy nodded.

**What did you see?**

Tommy squinted, and his face contorted in disgust. “His handsome face contorted with pleasure as he got off with that fucker.”

**His face was empty.**

Tommy opened his eyes. “What?”

**You really are dense. He was going through the motions, but his heart wasn't in it. It was written all over his face.**

Tommy humored Winston with his truly perplexed stare. “How do you notice these things, Rat? You must have a sixth sense.”

**I actually do have a sixth sense, Brain Child. You know that.** Tommy gave Winston a dirty look, which he ignored. **I'm just observant. It's easy to do when it's not my emotions involved.**

“Tell me what to do, Rat.”

**Keep doing what you're doing. Adam doesn't love Xander. He never has. He admitted that much to you. There's an opening there, even if it's small. Use what you know, and that's your ticket in. Not to mention, we got a nice juicy tidbit of information tonight.**

The light bulb in Tommy's head went off like a strobe. He was slow on the uptake, but he finally got it.

“Xander did something to Adam. Something bad in their past relationship.”

**Yep. And it had to be big if Adam doesn't trust him enough to be one hundred percent open with sex.**

“Some people don't like to bottom. That's not uncommon. Maybe whatever happened is Adam's way of getting out of it.”

**Maybe, but I think there’s more to it. You need to get him to open up about it. Find out what happened.**

Tommy stood up and walked to the kitchen. He hadn't eaten, and now that the shock and nausea subsided, he was starving. He cracked open a beer and put some leftover take out into the microwave. “You're right, Rat.” That's all Tommy said. It's all he needed to say for witch and familiar to be on the same page. He pulled his food out of the microwave and went back to sit next to Winston on the couch.

**Did you notice what Adam did toward the end?**

Tommy took a bite of his dinner and shook his head from side-to-side as he chewed.

He really wasn't an observant guy. It was a good thing Winston was a master of observation. **When he, uh...finished.** Winston stuttered over the word. It was weird to talk about, only for the sole reason that the topic was Adam. **He pulled his hand up from where it was on Xander's...**

Tommy motioned with his hand for Winston to hurry up and spit it out.

**He stopped taking care of Xander and grabbed the amulet. He was holding it when he finished.**

Tommy stopped mid bite. The weight of the single gesture hit him like a ton of bricks. Was it possible Adam was thinking about Tommy while he was fucking his boyfriend? Tommy had to know, and he knew exactly how to find out.

****  
  
  



	11. Chapter 11

 

Tommy spent more time watching the man of his affection, while Winston filled in his less than observant blanks. Thankfully, Adam was a creature of habit and that went for sex as well.  Tommy and Winston knew when it was coming, and after the first few times, Tommy was able to step away from his mirror and only listen for Bella. After a few months, he turned the connection off entirely during Adam's love fests, unable to endure even the sound that came from the mirror.

Tommy continued to watch, however, for every other available moment, in hopes of uncovering whatever it was that had broken Adam’s trust.

As much as Adam was a creature of habit, Tommy had become one as well. Mondays were spent at the Boardwalk, and the evening was spent glued to the mirror watching Adam and Xander until Tommy could no longer keep his eyes open. Tuesdays, Adam was at the Boardwalk. Tommy and Rat would make their way to his Adam's booth for massages during the day and meet up at Murphy's in the evening while Xander was at the Center. Wednesdays, Tommy had been staying home, spending the day watching Adam in the mirror while he worked on his clients at his office. Adam always spent the evenings alone. Xander wasn't at the center, but he wasn't home, either. Adam usually just watched movies or read a book. A few times, Tommy and Winston caught him getting friendly with himself, and Winston had to point out as usual that Adam was clutching the amulet while he jerked off. Thursdays, Tommy was back at the Boardwalk all day and late into the evening. His long days were due to the activity and volume of tourists. Fridays were spent at the Boardwalk during the day, and a movie at night. Friday was the scheduled sexy time for Adam and Xander, so the mirror was turned off. Saturdays, they only spent half the day at the Boardwalk. It was usually busy, booth wise, so business was always slow. It was also Xander's other day at the Center, and Tommy's full day with Adam. The men would spend lunchtime at Murphy's and then spend the rest of the day curled up on Tommy's couch, watching movies. On the rare occasion, they would go out to a club. Sundays, well Sunday's were “get shit done” day, which usually translated into “I didn't get shit done because I was watching Adam in my mirror again” day.

Needless to say, Tommy lived for Tuesday and Saturday. Not only were they his days to see Adam and spend time with him, they were his time to work Adam. Get under his skin, the opportunity to get  into Adam's heart the way Xander had never been able to.

Unfortunately, after several months of hanging out, things between the two men were stalled at the friend zone-level. Tommy didn't push things. They cuddled and held hands like they always did. However, Tommy didn't know how to bring him up without things turning awkward.

Winston could tell by the feelings that ran through his small body that Tommy was falling harder in love with Adam every day. It was getting more difficult for Tommy to be around Adam without being able to be with him. Winston encouraged Tommy to make his move, but he insisted the time wasn't right. So he continued to stay in quiet torture.

He swore to Winston, when the time was right he would make his move, being bold and attempting a physical show of interest which he was optimistic would lead to the Xander conversation, opening the door to a real relationship. It would be a few more weeks before that could happen.

` ` ` ` `

A humid breeze was coming off the water as Tommy waited for Adam at the pier. The men had agreed to meet at the pier after they closed their booths for the day. It was five minutes to noon, and already the temperature was nearing 90 degrees. Tommy hoped Adam wasn't too late. The air conditioning inside Murphy's was sounding really good at that moment.

Between the heat and his nerves, Tommy was sweating bullets. Today was it. He was doing it, laying it all on the line. He was going to come on to Adam and hoped he didn't get shot down. It was a long shot. Adam was loyal to Xander, but with Tommy's months of silent research, he was positive he had enough key points for any rebuttals he needed to make. If all else failed, he had one hell of a steamy kiss in his arsenal that he hoped would seal the deal.

In all honesty, he didn't think he would need to use that much persuasion. He'd seen Adam. He knew Adam didn’t love Xander. He didn’t want to be with Xander. He just believed he was supposed to be with him because of some misguided belief put there by his dying grandfather. Once he heard what Tommy had to say, Adam would realize what his grandfather's words really meant and come running into Tommy's arms.

“Hey,” Adam said as he approached Tommy on the pier. His hair was ruffled on the top and stuck to his forehead by sweat. “Sorry I'm late. Some creepy guy was hitting on me.'

“Really?”

“Really, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. I had to get security.”

“What did he say?” Tommy's jealousy inched up his spine. He really didn't have a reason to be jealous, but he couldn't help it. He saw Adam as belonging to him, even if technically he belonged to someone else.

Adam rolled his eyes as he started his explanation. “He was all like 'Hey baby. What's a sweet ass like you doing working for tips, when you should be working my cock?' It was damn creepy.”

Tommy cringed. That was bold and completely rude. Tommy may have been guilty of a similar crime while intoxicated in the past. Not his finest behavior. “That's disgusting. What did you say?”

“I told him I wasn't interested, that I had a boyfriend, and that I would never cheat on him. Ever.”

Tommy's gut clenched at the finality of the word 'ever.' “Good for you.”

“He didn't even stop there. He then proceeded to tell me what Xander didn't know wouldn't hurt him and put his slimy hands on my ass.”

Tommy felt his rage build. Doing a quick chant in his head, he assured the asshole wouldn't be getting his rocks off any time soon. “Well, I have a feeling his attempts on the next person are going to be difficult.”

Adam looked at Tommy with a raised bow. “Why does that scare me?” Adam asked, knowing good and well the things Tommy was capable of doing.

Tommy gave Adam a sly, mischievous grin. “I have no idea.”

Adam sighed, and his face fell slightly. “It just really bothers me when people are so casual about breaking trust. I've been cheated on. It shatters you and your trust in everyone.”

Tommy's face contorted into an almost pained expression. Several pieces of the puzzle he'd been working tirelessly to solve were falling into place, and he didn't like the final picture. Hesitantly he asked, “Adam, who cheated on you?” Even though he already knew the answer.

With a sad face Adam replied, “Xander. It was a long time ago.”

Tommy's world stopped in that moment. He’d planned all along to seduce Adam away from Xander, and with Adam's reluctant admission, Tommy realized Adam would never fall for Tommy's charms while he was with Xander. As unhappy as he may be, he would never hurt Xander the way he was hurt, which meant if Tommy went after Adam, he would ultimately lose him.

His stomach turned, and Tommy had to physically choke down the bile rising up his throat. His heart was torn out. He needed to get away from Adam. He couldn't face him. It was too much.

“I have to go.”

“What?” Adam asked confused. “I thought we were going to Murphy's.”

“I know. I'm sorry, but I just remembered I need to take Rat to the vet. He's been sick or something,” Tommy lied, feeling like an asshole with every word.

“Oh, no! Is he okay?” Adam asked with genuine concern. He really adored Tommy's familiar.

“He's just been acting weird. That's why I didn't bring him today. Better safe than sorry.” More lies. Winston had stayed at home to do some digging before Tommy's night with Adam to assure Bella was nowhere near Murphy's.

“Well, I hope he's okay.”

“Yeah, me too. Look, I'll call you later, okay?”

“OK,” Adam replied with a sad tone to his voice. Knowing Adam enjoyed his time with Tommy made it even harder to walk away. But that’s what he did. He gave Adam a hug, embracing him longer than necessary before he turned and walked away.

` ` ` ` ` `

Tommy walked by himself for about an hour before he ended up slamming back shots at a local dive bar. He knew it was only a matter of time before Winston tracked him down, but he had time to get hammered before that happened. The drawback of having a familiar. Though the telepathic link came in handy, it was also a nuisance. The only way to block Winston from his thoughts was to cast a temporary disconnection spell. Though they worked, the effects only lasted about an hour, making it not worth it most of the time.

By shot number four, Tommy was well past the point of emotion or giving a shit in general. His vision was blurred around the edges and his head was spinning. A few more and he would be able to pass out for a good twelve hours, and hopefully have a clearer head tomorrow.

A tall, slender man sat down on the stool next to Tommy. Tommy would have normally ignored the person, but the guy had inched his stool to the point he was touching Tommy's thigh with his knee. Tommy turned and let his sluggish brain focus on the man.

“Hey, beautiful,” the man cooed smoothly as he smiled charmingly at Tommy. “You alone tonight?”

If Tommy's brain were functioning at full capacity, he would have told the guy to fuck off. Tommy wasn't immune to shameless, blatant flirting, but he preferred to be the one flirting.

“Yeah,” he responded.

The man's smile widened, and his eyes darkened. Tommy recognized the look. Lust. He wasn't in the mood.

The man leaned in until his lips touched the shell of Tommy's ear. “You don't have to be.”

Or maybe he was in the mood. The fog in his brain was making Tommy consider it. The unspoken offer. What would it hurt? He'd been celibate since meeting Adam. A little anonymous sex never hurt anyone. It was apparent that it wouldn't hurt Adam. They were just friends, and no matter how much Tommy wished, Adam would never come to him. He knew Adam would remain loyal to Xander.

“OK,” Tommy slurred.

The man grinned from ear-to-ear and held out his hand. “Wanna go somewhere?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.”

Tommy picked up his glass and threw back the last shot. He set the glass back down and placed his hand in the man's hand.

They walked hand-in-hand towards the exit. The extra shot was enough liquid courage to shut off the rational side of Tommy's brain. It was telling him this was a very bad idea. Instead the side of his brain that hadn't felt the comfort of sex in months took over. He was going to get laid, and at the moment, that was all that mattered.

As they reached the door, a familiar voice became present in his mind. **Tommy! Wait! You can't do this!**

“Go away, Rat.”

**Tommy, please! You're drunk. You aren't thinking straight. Please.**

“I said go away!” Tommy yelled angrily. He wasn't in the mood to listen to another one of Rat's many lectures.

You don't understand. **Tommy, that's Bel...”**

Tommy didn't hear the rest of Winston's plea. He invoked the disconnection spell, giving himself some peace and quiet, even if it was only for a brief moment.

` ` ` ` ` ` `

_**This was bad. So, so incredibly bad. When Tommy didn't show up at Murphy's, I immediately knew my suspicions were true. I’d felt the surge of despair course through me. I just didn't know what had caused it. I knew Tommy needed me, so I hurried to Murphy's, only to find both Adam and Tommy absent.** _

__

_**I had to find him. Being out alone and in distress made him vulnerable to Bella. Bella had been hard to track as of late, but I knew she was out there waiting in the shadows for her moment to pounce.** _

__

_**I finally found him, but I was too late. He was two sheets to the wind and irrational. Something bad had happened, but was about to get worse. He blocked me from his mind before I could tell him that the man he was leaving with was a disguised Bella.** _

__

_**By the evil, slithering smile she gave me as she guided Tommy through the open door, I knew Tommy would be lucky if he made it to tomorrow morning in one piece.** _

__


	12. Chapter 12

 

 

Tommy was slipping in and out of consciousness. He was partially aware that he was in a hotel room with a very naked man sitting on the bed next to him. He reached down, finding himself just as naked. He looked at the clock. It was still early, but late enough his clouded mind acknowledged that it was time to leave. Fuck, he didn't even remember how he got to the hotel, or meeting the man he obviously just had sex with. He placed his still shaky arms underneath himself and pushed up into a sitting position.

 

“Hey, beautiful.” The man next to Tommy turned so his body faced the hungover man. He snaked his hand out and placed it gently on Tommy's belly. “I wondered when you'd wake up.”

 

Tommy's head was beginning to pound. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned at the pressure that was building in his head. “Fuck, how much did I drink?”

 

The man chuckled lightly. “Four before we met, one after, and two here.”

 

No wonder he didn't remember. It was unfortunate. The man was good looking, but it was probably better being in the dark. He felt like shit already. What would Adam think?

 

His conversation with Adam came back, flooding his brain with its full force. That's right, Adam wouldn't care. They were just friends, and Adam would never cheat on Xander. Ever.

 

Tommy opened his eyes and let a loud groan escape his lips.

 

“What's wrong, beautiful?” The man asked.

 

'Nothing. Look, I need to go.”

 

The other man's face fell, and he pulled his hand back from Tommy's belly. “It's the other guy? Adam, right?”

 

Tommy turned his head toward the man, a look of shock on his face. “How did you...”

 

Tommy was cut off mid sentence. “You called me Adam while we...you said you loved him, repeatedly.”

 

Tommy put his face into his palms and sighed. He was an honest drunk, to a fault at times. He was honestly surprised he'd never accidentally disclosed his biggest secret - that his magic was actually real. Of course he'd always had Rat to keep him in check.

 

Rat. Where was he? Tommy was sure Rat would be trying to find him. He needed to get home, and fast.

 

“I'm sorry, but I really have to go.”

 

“You really love him, don't you?” The man questioned. He wasn't at all flustered or even affected by Tommy's urge to get the hell out. Tommy thought that was a good quality to have in a one night stand.

 

Tommy ignored the question and began getting dressed. He only wanted to get home to Rat, to his mirror, and make sure Adam was okay after being stood up the night before. As much as it broke his heart, the idea of letting Adam go, broke his spirit. He loved this man, who had become his best friend, with every fiber of his being. He didn't want to see Adam hurt or disappointed.

 

“It's a simple question, Tommy. Do you love him?”

 

Persistent guy. Not to mention the use of his name made Tommy realize he had no idea what the other man's name was. All the more reason to get out fast.

 

Tommy continued throwing on his clothes, and as he was shoving his feet into his boots, the question came again. Tommy was getting pissed.

 

“Yes, I fucking love him! With every breath. Why do you care?” Tommy didn't mean to yell, the guy was being friendly, but seriously, he needed to back off.

 

With Tommy's answer, the man slid off the bed and slithered over to Tommy. With a graceful confidence, he crowded Tommy's space, forcing him to back up until his back hit the wall. The man then pinned him there, securing a hand on each side of Tommy's head. After a moment of intense eye contact, the man leaned in and covered Tommy's mouth with his own. He quickly pulled away. “One for the road, then?”

 

Tommy stared into the man's hazel colored eyes. Was he serious? Tommy just admitted to being in love with someone, and the guy still wanted one more round.

 

“I can help you forget,” the man said as he slid his hand down the length of his body until he came to rest on Tommy's bulge. “Or, I can help you get him to fall in love with you.”

 

Tommy had to laugh at that. It was absurd. “Yeah, and how do you plan on doing that?”

 

The man rubbed harshly against Tommy's dick, partially bringing it to life. He may not have wanted a repeat of what he couldn't remember, but that didn't mean an attractive man wouldn't get a physical response out of him.

 

The man sneered, and it made Tommy's insides clench. “You have the power inside you to make it happen. You could own him, and he wouldn't be the wiser.”

 

Now Tommy was on high alert. How would this man know about Tommy's gift? No one knew but Rat, and Adam had a suspicion, but neither would tell. Only one other being, creature if he were being specific, knew about him and what he really was.

 

“Such a waste. Spending your days pretending to be a magician when we both know you actually are one.” The man said with a seductive tone.

 

“I really have to go.” Tommy tried to wiggle out of the man's hold, but the man was strong.

 

“We could be great together, Tommy. You and I. I’m a patient man. I can wait until you’re finished with Adam.”

 

Now Tommy was just pissed and panicking. He struggled to get out of the man's grip, but it was no use. The man had inhuman strength.

 

Inhuman strength. Like a light bulb, everything fell into place. Fuck. How could he be so stupid.

 

“Bella, let me go.”

 

Bellaepharent let out a blood curdling cackle. She threw her head back and morphed into normal female form. Looking through Tommy's eyes, straight into his soul, she said, “Oh, Tommy. I'm not nearly through with you yet.” She lowered her head and captured Tommy's lips again. This time, however, Tommy struggled as if he was fighting for his life. He may have been doing just that.

 

` ` ` ` ` ` `

 

Tommy stumbled into his apartment practically on his hands and knees. He hadn't come home last night, and Winston scurried to his side as soon as the door clicked open. Before Winston was able to ask him where he'd been, Tommy's stomach emptied onto the tile entryway.

 

**Jesus, Tommy! What happened to you?**

 

Tommy didn't answer. Instead, he crawled the length of the bathroom until he fell to his side in front of the toilet. His skin was ashen and his eyes blood shot. He was shaking as he curled himself into the fetal position.

 

Winston looked at his friend with worry. **Tommy, please. Tell me what happened.**

 

Tommy didn't attempt to move. His eyes were focused on the wall, but Winston could tell he was focused much farther. The torment in his eyes was vivid.

 

Winston knew Tommy had left with Bella the night before, inebriated past the point of rational thought. He’d been blocked from Tommy's mind last night, and by the time the disconnection spell wore off, Tommy was somewhere that Winston was unable to track him. Bella had probably cast a spell of her own to keep Winston from finding them.

 

Winston had tried. He’d searched everywhere, trying to find Tommy. He’d tried to pick up their mental connection, but he’d come up empty. He’d even gone to Adam's, but all he’d found was a sad man clutching that damn amulet like it was his lifeline. Something had happened between Tommy and Adam, and it hadn't been what Tommy had expected.

 

“Bella,” Tommy said on an almost whisper.

 

Winston hurried over to where Tommy lay on the floor, so he could hear the poor wrecked man better.

 

**I know. I tried to warn you, but you blocked me out.**

 

Tommy moved his eyes until they focused on Winston. “I did?”

 

**Yes, by the time it wore off, Bella had you somewhere I couldn't track you.**

 

Tommy's face squished in, the pain in his eyes so prominent, it appeared like he had aged ten years overnight. “I fucked up, Rat.”

 

**Tell me what happened.**

 

Tommy rolled over to his back and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t even notice his hands were absently clawing at the denim that covered his thighs. It was something that Tommy did subconsciously whenever fear and anxiety took over.

 

I think...I think he may have raped me.”

 

**What do you mean, you think? This is bad. Really, really bad.**

 

“I don't remember anything.”

 

**Jesus, Tommy. You know what she could have done?**

 

“I think she did do it, Rat.” Tommy's eyes began to tear, and he let out an ugly heartbreaking sob. “Rat, I can feel her inside me.”

 

It was times like this, Winston wished he was able to wrap Tommy up in a soothing hug. The man was falling apart, and for good reason. Having had sex with a demon can have two outcomes: one is to impregnate a human so that she can give birth to a demon hybrid (think serial killers, terrorists, criminals of any sort really). The other to plant a seed inside a human that gives the demon access to the human’s brain, so the demon can torment a human at their leisure. Since Tommy was not female, Bella was out to break Tommy. She'd wanted him as her personal toy for years. With a small drunken act, Tommy had given her access to his every thought and the ability to taunt him inside his own head.

 

**Don't panic, Tommy. It'll be alright. We know her tricks.**

 

“It won't be all right! She knows about Adam.”

 

**She’s known about Adam for a while.**

 

Tommy sniffled and took a deep breath to calm himself, but as soon as he began to speak the sobs rolled out in waves. “Not that I lo...l...love him. She'll use it. She'll use it to hu...hurt him.”

 

**Or to hurt you.**

 

“I don't care about me. All I care about is Adam.”

 

Winston was more concerned that Bella wasn't after Adam at all. She was after Tommy. She wanted him black. Tommy was a witch, a male witch. Witches auras are white. Female witches remain white, unable to be smudged by the black of dark magic. Male witches, however, add specks of black with each misuse of their magic, until their aura is completely shadowed with the color of night. Once black, any demon can claim them for whatever bidding they choose.

 

**She wants you black, Tommy.**

 

“She can't turn me black. She's tried. I'm stronger than her.”

 

**She's never been in your head before.**

 

Tommy sat up quickly and leaned over the toilet. There was nothing left in his stomach, but that didn't stop him from having painful, violent heaves. Once his stomach settled, he folded his arms on the seat and cradled his head in the nook of his bent elbow.

 

“I won't let her, Rat. I won't.”

 

**How do you stop it, Tommy, when she knows your weakness? She'll get to you. She has that power now.**

 

Tommy shakes his head. “Not if I give up Adam. She'll have no power over me.”

 

Winston was shocked by Tommy's statement. **But you love him.** Tommy needed Adam to breathe. Everyone could see it, well maybe except for Adam.

 

“And he'll never love me,” Tommy said defeated.

  
Something definitely happened between Tommy and Adam. Winston wouldn't push Tommy to tell him, not yet anyway. By the shattered despair and hopelessness radiating through his tiny body, he knew whatever it was had to be big.


	13. Chapter 13

Tommy spent the entire week in bed, physically and emotionally drained from his encounter with Bella. After concocting a spell that allowed Tommy to remember that night, he found out that he’d slept with Bella willingly.  Bella had been truthful when she’d told him he’d done nothing but declare his love for Adam as they spent the night together.  The image of Bella displaying her dominance over Tommy and planting her seed was enough to make Winston stay in bed right along with Tommy.

 

Demon biology was simple.  They were shape shifting, gender swapping creatures of darkness and torment.  They fed on despair and desperation.  Bellaepharent, in her true form, wasn’t really a creature.  She, as well as all demons, was more of an omnipresence that could take on physical form with ease.  She lived and manifested mostly as a female human, with blazing, curly red hair that fell past her shoulders and crystal clear, almost glowing green eyes.  She was every man’s fantasy; tall, slender, with curves in all the right places.  Her skin was soft, pale and porcelain, and her lips could stop a man in his tracks.  She used this beauty to attract and torment male witches and human men around the world.  She seduced them, played on their insecurities until she coaxed them to her bed. Humans were just her plaything.  She’d use them to do her bidding and then either kill them or persuade them to kill themselves.  During sex with a male witch, however, she was able to transfer a piece of her essence into the witch without his knowledge.  With that, she was able to get inside his head and persuade him to cast spells of personal gain, tarnishing his aura until it was as black as night.  Once black, Bella could bind the witche’s soul to her own forever.  Most witches, Bella would just kill.  She would torture them slowly until they begged for death. Not Tommy.  Tommy was special to Bella for reasons unknown. Instead of killing Tommy, she would take him with her, to her realm, and torture him for eternity.

 

For witches like Tommy, she must take on her male form.  Most witches have never seen Bella in physical form.  She would stalk in the shadows before she came out to hunt.  Tommy however, had seen Bella in the flesh, so she was in need of constantly altering bodies.

 

Now that she has planted part of herself in Tommy’s mind, he would never be able to let his guard down.  He would never be safe.

 

At the end of the week, as Monday crept in, Tommy knew he had to go back to work.  He’d told Winston about standing Adam up and the reason behind it.  They would never be together, but as long as Tommy loved him, Adam would always be at risk, and as long as Adam was in Tommy’s life, he would never get over him.  Because of this, Tommy had been ignoring Adam.  He didn’t answer a single call or text. He didn’t answer the door when Adam stopped by, worried.  He just pretended to be gone while Adam pleaded with him to come out and talk.  He hadn’t even watched a single second of Adam through his mirror.  He knew Adam didn’t understand the sudden avoidance, but it was better that way.  It was a clean break, so Tommy wouldn’t have to see the hurt in Adam’s eyes.

 

Yesterday, there had been a note pushed under Tommy’s door that simply read, “I miss you.”

 

**Tommy, are you ready for this?  We have enough money.  You don’t have to go back yet.**

 

“I can’t avoid him forever, Rat.  I have to do this.”

 

**Can’t you cast a spell that will make him forget?**

 

“It’s as much for my benefit as it is his.  I’ll get smudged.”  Because of this, Tommy would have to eventually come face to face with Adam and lie through his teeth to make Adam walk away.

 

“How do I look?” Tommy asked Winston, turning to get his familiar’s approval on his back-to-work attire.

 

**Like a man who just lost the love of his life.**

 

Tommy ran his hand through his hair and sighed.  “Thanks, Rat.”

 

Without another word, witch and familiar left the apartment, ready to restart life after a week of seclusion and a broken heart.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Two weeks passed with no sign of Adam at the boardwalk, and all attempts at communication had ceased.  Tommy was partially relieved that Adam had given up, yet his heart ached for just the slightest glimpse of Adam’s beautiful face or the artistic swirl of his handwriting.  He’d spent every day at the boardwalk, not taking his usual days off.  He told Winston it was to make up for days missed, but Winston wasn’t stupid.  Tommy was hoping, even at a distance, he would spot Adam.  

 

Winston caught Tommy staring in the direction Adam’s booth used to be.   **He’s not here, Tommy.  He hasn’t been here.  I think he’s stopped setting up shop.**

 

“I know he’s not here.  I wasn’t even looking for him.  I was looking at that guy right there.  You see?  In the black beanie looking at the art booth.”

 

**The frumpy guy?  Why?**

 

Tommy stared in the direction of the booth.  It was the same booth he had been shopping at months ago, when Adam helped him carry his purchase.  It seemed like just yesterday, Tommy peered into those hypnotizing blue eyes for the first time.  He missed them.  He missed Adam.

 

“He’s holding a dragon.  It looks a lot like the one I have.”  

 

**Jay really likes dragons.  He makes them all the time.  There a big seller for him too.**  

 

Tommy was only half listening to Winston.  He was staring down at Jay as he handed the man his change.  He smiled at the man as the man nodded and turned to leave.  Tommy’s breath caught in his throat as the man looked up from his new purchase and made eye contact with Tommy.  

 

Blue.  All Tommy could see was blue.  It seeped into him like ground water to earth, over saturating his heart with excitement and dread.  Blue, the kind that made Tommy’s breath hitch, and his blood warm.  It was the only blue that had the power to own Tommy.  Adam.

 

The man in the beanie was Adam.  Tommy let out a shaky breath as Adam continued to move in the towards him, never breaking eye contact.  He crept closer and closer, as if time had slowed to a crawl.  It felt like years passed in the time it took Adam to cross the crowd and land in front of Tommy’s booth.  Tommy just stared at Adam, unable to form any words.  It had been three weeks since they had seen each other.  Tommy thought it had been enough time to be normal again, but he’d been wrong.  With Adam standing in front of him, all Tommy could feel was want, desire, love.

 

“Hey,”  Adam said, his tone as if it were the first time he was meeting Tommy.

 

“Hi,” Tommy breathed on a whisper.  Adam appeared ragged, sloppy, nothing like Tommy had been accustomed to.  Adam was always groomed to the max.  Now he looked tired, defeated with his lounge pants and three day old stubble.  He looked like he’d lost some weight, too.

 

Adam looked awkward, seeming unable to broach conversation.  It pained Tommy to see the look of reservation on Adam’s face, as if he had no idea what to say to the man that had quickly become his best friend.  Tommy wasn’t sure what to say, either, but he needed to say something.  “You haven’t had a booth in a while,” was all Tommy could come up with.

 

Adam smiled sadly.  “Yeah.  Ah, Xander signed a contract to increase his shows to five days a week.  He asked me to quit the boardwalk and just focus on my office clients.  He wants to take care of me with the bigger paycheck, I guess.”  

 

Tommy sensed that Adam really didn’t want to be taken care of by Xander, but for whatever reason, he’d agreed.  “Why’d you agree to it.  It’s not making you happy.”

 

Adam let out a soft self-deprecating laugh.  “How would you know I’m not happy with it?  I am happy with it.  I am happy.”  

 

“Adam, you can’t lie to me.  You’re not the kind of person who wants to be taken care of.”

 

A hint of anger flashed through Adam’s eyes.  “And you’re an expert on what I want?”

 

**Tommy, are you sure you want to start this?**  Winston knew Tommy all too well.  He could keep a secret with the best of them, but when it came to his emotions, he was most often very loose lipped.  If Tommy started, he wouldn’t be able to stop until he was back in Adam’s arms, cuddled up in front of the TV, munching on popcorn as if nothing had transpired between the two and Bella.

 

Tommy ignored Winston.  “I know you, Adam.”

 

Now Adam was angry.  “You don’t know shit about me, Tommy!”

 

“I know more that you think.”

 

“Is that so?”  Adam asked, sarcasm and pain laced through his voice.  “You know me so well.  So does that mean you know how angry and pissed off, desperate and in need I’ve been for you these past three weeks?  You know how hurt I was, and how I tried, begged even, for you to talk to me.  You were, are, the best friend I’ve ever had, Tommy.  If you knew me as well as you think you do, you’d know that you crushed me when you disappeared.”

 

“I…You don’t need me.”  Tommy sighed, turning away from Adam both to hide his own feelings and so he didn’t have to see the pain in Adam’s eyes, knowing he was the cause.

 

Reaching out to Tommy, Adam gripped his shoulder and gently turned Tommy to face him.  “You’re absolutely right, Tommy.  I don’t need you.  I want you.”

 

“Not the way I want you,” Tommy whispered to himself, trying to turn away from Adam’s trance inducing gaze.

 

He must’ve said it just loud enough for Adam to hear, because Adam placed his big, warm hands on Tommy’s cheeks, cupping his face in his hands.  Tommy tried to avert his eyes, but Adam just turned Tommy’s head to face him with each attempt to avoid eye contact.

 

“Look at me, Tommy. Please.”  The gentleness in Adam’s voice made it impossible to resist his request.  Tommy looked into Adam’s big, blue eyes.  The emotion he saw in them was confusing and not what he was expecting.  Adam was looking at him with longing.

 

“You’re wrong,”  Adam said after searching through Tommy’s gaze for half a breath.  “I did want you.  The very same way that you wanted me.  I still do.”

 

Disbelief was the feeling that rolled through Winston before the shock hit short and sharp.   **Did he just-?**

 

“What?”  Tommy mouthed, unable to vocalize the question.

 

Adam sighed and slid his hands down to rest on Tommy’s shoulders.  He looked off to the side for moments before turning back to Tommy.  “So this is confession time, huh?”

 

“I’m really not sure I know what you’re confessing,”  Tommy admitted truthfully.

 

“Yes, Tommy.  I’m attracted to you.  Have been since the first day we met.  You are the most beautiful, spirited person I’ve ever met.  And you can do things that I’ve never seen anyone else do.  I don’t know how you do it, but it makes you that much more beautiful.  If we’d only have met sooner…” Adam trails off, breaking eye contact again.  The vulnerability in his voice, was an ache attached to Tommy’s soul.

 

“You wouldn’t be with Xander,” Tommy finished Adam’s thought.

 

With a heavy breath, Adam replied, “Yes.”

 

Tommy was taken aback by Adam’s confession.  It couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time.  Yes, if they would have met sooner, if they would have met before Adam reconnected with Xander, then the whole Bella situation could have been avoided.  Tommy wouldn’t have watched, stalked, and become obsessed with the one man he couldn’t have.  He would have still fallen in love with Adam, but without the potentially dangerous obstacles in the way.  He couldn’t do it.  He couldn’t risk Adam, or himself, no matter the confession that had just flowed from Adam’s lips.  

 

Tommy steeled himself for the biggest sacrifice he’d ever make.  “But you are, so there’s no room for me.”

 

“Tommy-”

 

“No.”  Tommy held up his hand to silence Adam.  “You made your bed out of loyalty, with a man who doesn’t really love you.  You have to lie in it.  Alone,”  Tommy said, adding the last part to drive home the fact that Adam’s loyalty would indeed leave him alone.

 

“There’s room for you in my life.”

 

“But there is none for you in mine.”  Tommy choked out the last few words.  He didn’t want to hurt Adam, but knew he had to, or else Adam wouldn’t walk away.

 

“Tommy.”

 

“Go, Adam.”  Tommy looked for every ounce of strength within himself to push Adam away.  “Please, just go.”

 

The light that Tommy had seen in Adam’s eyes at the beginning of his confession died, being replaced by a hurt that had Tommy’s heart reeling. “If that’s what you want.”

 

“It’s what I need.”

 

“All right.”  Adam said with a shake in this usually melodic voice.  “Goodbye, Tommy.”  Adam wrapped his arms around Tommy briefly in a strong embrace.  He lightly kissed the top of Tommy’s head and then turned to walk away.

 

“Goodbye, Adam,”  Tommy said, as he watched Adam disappear into a sea of bodies.  “Goodbye.”

 

**You did the right thing, Tommy.**

 

“Not now, Rat,”  Tommy said, but not before Winston saw a single tear trickle down Tommy’s cheek.

  
  



	14. Chapter 14

“Please, Tommy.  I need you.  I need to be inside you.”  Adam said as he slowly slid himself into Tommy’s warm, waiting body.  The sting, the burn, was short lived as Adam began to move in rhythm with Tommy’s cries of pleasure-

 

**Jesus, Tommy.  Wake up.**  Winston bit Tommy on the tip of his toe.

 

Tommy jumped up, startled.  He looked around, getting his bearings, landing his very pissed off eyes on Winston.  “For fuck’s sake, Rat!”

 

**You were dreaming again.  That’s every night this week.**  

 

“Tell me something I don’t know, please.”

 

Since the day Tommy had parted ways with Adam, life had become almost unbearable.  He’d been having dreams about Adam almost every night.  They started out as nightmares.  He relived watching Adam turn away from him with pained eyes.  The lost, hurt look in Adam’s eyes, haunting Tommy during the day and in his sleep.  The dreams then morphed into Adam being tortured by Bella.  She used Adam’s pain to get to Tommy.  Being inside of Tommy, she could manipulate anything, plant any seed of doubt or want that tickled her fancy.  The dreams involving Bella, Tommy knew, where not from his own subconscious.  Bella tortured Adam.  She beat him, starved him, raped him while Tommy was forced to watch.  Tommy would wake up screaming, Winston feeling everything Tommy had felt.  It was not only horrific for Tommy, but for Winston as well.

 

Now the dreams had become sexual.  Adam giving in to Tommy, admitting that he loved him, and showing him just how much.  Winston also felt these dreams and the reactions Tommy had to them.  In a way, these dreams were worse, showing Tommy what he would never, could never, have.

 

Whether this last round of dreams was Bella’s doing or not was anyone’s guess, but Winston wouldn’t put it past the ever persistent demon to play on both Tommy’s wants and his fears.

 

**It’ll get better, Tommy.**

 

“It’ll never get better.  Not until Bella or Adam is out of my head.  And as long as Bella is in my head, I’ll never even hope to one day get Adam out, so I’m screwed.  She tortures me either way.”

 

Winston felt for Tommy.  He loved Adam.  How was he supposed to get over Adam, if Bella kept showing him what he would never have.  But that was Bella’s plan:  to not let Tommy get over Adam.  The more she flaunted the dark hair and the blue eyes in front of Tommy, the better the chance that he’d break and use his magic to get Adam back.

 

**Maybe you should reconsider your stance on Adam.**  Winston had been the first to think excommunication was best, but it had only taken a few weeks of watching Tommy to see he’d been wrong. **Maybe you should fight.  Make him fall in love with you.  Steal him away from Xander, without magic.**

 

“He’s too loyal.  He’ll never choose me.”

 

**You don’t know that.  He’s attracted to you.  He all but admitted if it weren’t for Xander, you’d be together.**

 

“He doesn’t love me.”

 

**He cares for you.  That’s a start.**

 

Tommy looked at his familiar with hopeless eyes.  He’d thought of any and every way to get through to Adam, but the outcome was always the same.  Adam would never leave Xander, or Tommy would put Adam at a higher risk of being a pawn in Bellaepharent’s cruel games.

 

“It doesn’t matter, Rat.  He can care all he wants, but that won’t make him leave Xander.”

 

**Maybe you should contact his grandfather.**

 

Adam had told Tommy on one of their first encounters that his grandfather had ‘gifts’ that made things happen that were unexplainable.  He also told Tommy that his grandfather was very prophetic.  He’d told Adam where to find his destiny, and it’d led him straight back into Xander’s arms.  He would be loyal to Xander solely based on his grandfather’s words.  Adam could spend years being miserable with Xander, but he would still hold on, because he thought that’s what he was supposed to do.  

 

However, Adam didn’t know Tommy was a witch.  Again, he had to have suspicion that Tommy was more than he seemed, as was his grandfather, but that’s where the suspicion stopped.  Adam never once, in the nine months he had known Tommy, considered that Tommy might be who his grandfather visioned.  Tommy had hoped it was a possibility, but without Adam acknowledging the potential, it was a moot point.  But if he had proof, maybe Tommy would be able to change the outcome.  Maybe Adam would finally see the truth - that Tommy was his destiny - and walk away from Xander right into Tommy’s waiting embrace.

 

“But what if it’s not me?”  Tommy asked, his voice carrying equal parts hope and denial.

 

**The only way to find out is to talk to him.  It’s worth a shot**.

 

“I don’t want to get my hopes up.  I don’t want to shatter again.”

 

**The worst that could happen is you’re not Adam’s future.  But then again, maybe you are.**

 

Tommy thought in silence for a few moments.  Winston was right.  He really didn’t have anything to lose.  If Adam’s grandfather said that Tommy was not who he envisioned for Adam, he’d be in the same boat he was now.  The longer he thought, the more he believed that this was, in fact, a good idea.

 

“Okay, Rat.  Let’s do it.”

 

~ ~ ~

 

Later that night, Tommy and Rat were sitting in the middle of the beach just off the Boardwalk.  The air was warm and sticky, with a heavy breeze blowing in from the ocean.  Tommy had created his summoning circle, complete with all the items necessary to make contact.  He’d even put the candles inside clay containers to keep the dancing flames protected from wind.  If even one candle was extinguished, any connection that Tommy made would be severed.

 

“Are you ready, Rat?”  Tommy asked as he lit the last candle.

 

**Let’s do this, Tommy.**

 

Rat sat down in Tommy’s lap, as Tommy lowered his head and began to chant.  He was chanting in an ancient language used by witches many centuries ago.  Most spells were able to be cast with any language.  As long as the incantation was done properly, the spell would take. Summoning, however, was different.  The ancient language had to be used to raise the dead.  Only a select few witches took the time to learn the difficult dialect.

 

Tommy chanted, the words flowing from his lips in almost a whisper.  His head was bowed, his hands began to tremble.  This was a sign that contact was being made, but until they saw the apparition, Tommy would not be able to communicate with the spirit.

 

After fifteen minutes or so, the air around the circle began to shift.  It swirled from the ground up, creating a tornado effect five feet tall.  As Tommy spoke with ancient tongue, the air swirled faster and faster until floating in front of Winston and Tommy, inside the circle, was the spirit of an old man.  At first sight, Tommy knew it was Adam grandfather.  Even with a wrinkled and weathered face, there was no denying the resemblance.  The spirit was transparent, but still held human colors, and the man’s eyes were lit with the same blue as Adam.

 

“Hello,”  Tommy said timidly.  He didn’t want to frighten the spirit or it would disappear.  He also didn’t want to piss it off.  Some spirits are assholes, whether they were in their human life or not.  A pissed off spirit would also leave, but with no chance of ever allowing itself to be summoned again.

 

“Hello, young man.  Do I know you?”

 

“No, sir.  You don’t.”

 

“Are you sure?” the spirit asked, examining Tommy as if he held the answers to the universe.  “You look very familiar.”

 

The old man’s scrutiny was making Tommy a bit uncomfortable, but he tried to push it aside.  He carried on with his purpose.  “Are you by chance the grandfather of Adam?”

 

At the mention of Adam’s name the old man perked up and a smile spread across his aged face.  “You know my grandson?”

 

“Yes, sir.  And I have a few questions if you don’t mind.”

 

“How is he?  Is he well?”

 

Tommy didn’t want to tell Adam’s grandfather that Adam was in an emotional funk, but the truth had to be told.  “He is doing well, physically.  He is struggling emotionally some.”

 

The man’s face fell with a pained expression.  “Did he follow my direction.  Did he go find his magic?”

 

Tommy’s heart clenched at the look on the man’s face.  His heart hurt for his grandson.  It was written all over his wrinkled face.

 

“Yes, he did,”  Tommy said, answering the question with much effort to keep the emotion out of his own voice.  “He is living on the ocean with his boyfriend.”

 

The old man’s expression lifted slightly.  “Who is this man?  Does he have a name?”

 

“Xander, sir.”

 

As soon as Tommy uttered Xander’s name, Adam’s grandfather’s face contorted into a scowl.  Tommy was taken aback.  He didn’t want to anger the spirit.  He wasn’t finished with his questions.

 

“Xander.  I did not send him to the ocean to find Xander.  I sent him to find his destiny.”

 

“And what is his destiny, sir.”

 

“Love,”  The old man answered, like it was the obvious reason.

 

“He has love.  With Xander.”  Tommy choked out the words.  He knew Adam didn’t love Xander, however Adam had never come out and actually said the words, so there was a small chance Tommy may have been wrong.

 

“He will never love Xander.  He is not the chosen one, or good for Adam.”

 

“He seems to think differently.”

 

“That’s because he’s always been thick-headed.  He sees what he wants to see.”  Adam’s grandfather laughed as he momentarily reminisced.  “He never did catch on that I was more than just a normal man.”

 

Tommy smiled at the old man.  “He noticed.  He just didn’t acknowledge.  He does that a lot.”

 

The old man explained that he was a witch, and while he was raising a young Adam, he showed bits and pieces of what he was capable of doing.  He did this to show Adam that he was different, without coming right out and saying it.  He knew of no other witches and didn’t want to frighten Adam, or not be believed.  So he hinted, but Adam never caught on.  

 

He also told Tommy about Xander, and the relationship he had with Adam before he’d passed on.  Xander and Adam were young and instantly clicked.  Xander was a handsome young man, and Adam had been smitten from first glance.  They started dating pretty quickly, and Xander seemed to be very attentive and affectionate.  Adam had introduced Xander to his grandfather after just two weeks of dating.  From the very first moment, the old man had sensed something was off with the boy.  It wasn’t until six months later that he’d found out what it was that set off his internal alarms.  Xander was a fake.  He paraded around saying he was a magician when all he knew were illusions.  Being a witch who could actually make items disappear and reappear without hiding them behind a reflective mirror, or out the back of a box, he took offense to it.

 

Not only was Adam’s grandfather a witch, but he also had the gift of sight.  He couldn’t see the future per say, but he could sense it.  He would get pictures in his mind, painted almost like watercolor, that hinted at what the future held.  With this gift, he pictured Adam at the sea with a petite blond man, that held the gift of magic.

 

“That fits Xander’s description,”  Tommy said.  It also fit his description, but he wasn’t going to bring that up just yet.  The old man’s story was far from over.

 

“Yes, I suppose he does.  However, deep down, Xander is a vile man.”

 

“How so?”  Now Tommy was really curious.  He knew Xander had hurt Adam in some way, but had yet to figure it out.

 

“At first, he was all right.  But as time went on he became…”  Adam’s Grandfather stopped to think about his next words.  “Untrustworthy.”

 

Tommy leaned closer to the spirit.  He was getting ready to divulge something pivotal.  “Go on.”

 

The old man’s spirit floated down towards the ground and ghosted over the sand as if he were sitting cross-legged in front of Tommy.  At this level, Tommy was able to look into the old man’s eyes.  “It started with little white lies here and there.  He would tell Adam he’d been hired to perform at a birthday party, but he would go out with his friends, instead.  Adam never questioned it.  He never even expected it, but I knew.  It was my job to know everything.  And I did just that.  As time went on the lies got bigger.  He got into drugs.  One night, he talked Adam into experimenting.  Adam told me that he resisted at first, but he was so desperate to connect with Xander, he tried it.  Cocaine and Ecstasy.  He was so high, he let himself be violated by Xander’s druggie friends.”

 

Tommy choked on the bile that rose into his throat.  “Adam was...Was he raped?”

 

The old man sighed heavily, and wiped at his eye, even though his ability to cry was nonexistent.  “Adam doesn’t know if he was raped or willing.  He chooses to believe that he was willing, and the drugs made him do it.  I’m not so sure.  He was battered up pretty good.  I had to take him to the hospital.  Had to have a few stitches.”

 

“Oh, my god,”  Tommy said on a broken sob.  He never would have guessed that Adam went through such trauma.  He’d always been so happy, so cuddly.  Tommy would have thought trauma like that would make one not want to be touched.

 

“That’s not all.  He can’t remember most of what happened that night.  What he does remember is seeing Xander right there in front of him with another man.  He felt betrayed.  He stayed with Xander, though.  For another two years.  Stuck by him through rehab and all.”

 

Tommy couldn’t speak.  He was still caught on the fact that Adam quite possibly had been gang raped.  It made his stomach turn with both sorrow and anger.  Unable to keep his emotions under control, Tommy put his face in his hands and cried.  He sobbed into his palms, the tears clogging his nose and clouding his vision.  He was heartbroken for the younger Adam.  The one that tried to love Xander, but couldn’t.  He cried for the boy who tried drugs, just to feel something, anything, for the person he was supposed to love, and ended up being violated in the worst possible way.  He cried for Adam.

 

Adam’s grandfather hovered just above the ground and watched Tommy.  It was the intense stare again, like he was trying to figure something out.  It made Tommy uncomfortable, especially while he was sobbing like a girl.  The old man’s eyes were searching,\; for what, Tommy didn’t know, but it was as if the man were looking into his very soul.  

 

“You love him,”  The old man said after some time of starting.

 

“More than anything.”

 

“Can I ask you something, young man?”  Adam’s grandfather asked in a quiet, soothing tone.

 

Tommy sniffled, looked up, and answered, “yes.”

 

“You don’t by chance know magic do you?  And I’m not talking that fake nonsense.  I mean magic.  The kind that people just don’t understand.”

 

Tommy looked up into the spirit’s blue eyes.  Of all the man’s earthly features, his eyes were the only thing that kept their luminous quality.  In the time it took to inhale a breath, Tommy had made it snow.  Eighty degrees on a beach, and the white flakes danced down to the sand below.  The spirits eyes grew wide with excitement.

 

“You’re the one!  You’re the one!”

 

Tommy gave the old man a sad smile.  “I assumed as much when Adam told me about you, but he’s loyal to Xander.  He thinks, even after all the shit Xander put him through, that Xander’s who he’s destined to be with.  I can’t change his mind.”

 

“That boy always was hard headed.  I never understood why or how he forgave Xander, let alone give him another chance.”

 

“We may never know.”

 

Tommy smiled again at the transparent ghost of a man.  He was done.  He knew all he needed to know.  He was Adam’s mate, his match in life, but it was too late.  Unless he chose to leave Xander, or Xander left Adam, there was nothing Tommy could do.  He didn’t see either option happening.  Xander seemed truly remorseful for what he’d done, and as long as Adam thought Xander was the one, Tommy had no options.  

 

“I can’t make him love me,” Tommy said in complete heartbreak.

 

“I know, son.  I know.  All you can do is hope for the best.”

 

“I’ll never stop hoping,”  Tommy said as Adam’s grandfather disappeared in the wind.  Looking now at the vacant air, Tommy realized he’d never asked the old man his name.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	15. Chapter 15

Tommy had every intention of leaving Adam alone.  No matter how heartbreaking, he’d made peace with the fact that he’d never be with Adam and would no longer be able to be his friend.  The goodbye they’d shared at the Boardwalk had been the final goodbye.  Until Tommy summoned Adam’s grandfather.

 

The revelations that came to light were no less than eye opening.  It all made sense.  The reason Adam didn’t love Xander and the reason he stayed were both starring Tommy in the face with such clarity.  Adam felt unlovable.  Tommy would never understand how such a beautiful and loving man would ever feel like he wasn’t worth someone’s affections, but that was it.  Xander left Adam starving, and Adam, being desperate for his love, gave into Xander’s other life, only to come out broken and used.  He’d never known what love was supposed to feel like, so when his grandfather foretold of his future, he went back to the only thing that he knew.  

 

Tommy was now determined to change that.  After a long and very awakening conversation with Winston, Tommy decided he couldn’t sit back and let Adam believe he was meant to settle for Xander.  He would get back into Adam’s good graces.  He would show Adam all the love that he had within him, and prove once and for all that Adam would never belong with Xander.  Even if the end result was still Tommy walking away, at least he’d know Adam wasn’t wasting his life on an illusion.

 

Wasting no time, Tommy entered the one space that was Adam’s that he’d yet to see:  Adam’s office.  He’d called to book a massage.  After the way he’d left things with Adam, he wasn’t sure Adam would be accepting of Tommy’s resurfacing in his life.   With a formal appointment, Adam was more likely to listen to what Tommy had to say, and not turn him away.

 

Arriving fifteen minutes early, Tommy checked in with the receptionist and filled out the new client paperwork.  A client information sheet, privacy notice, and financial agreement, all the standard paperwork that took only moments to complete.  Tommy handed the clipboard back to the receptionist with a smile and sat down to wait.

 

Minutes ticked by as Tommy waited.  The receptionist was kind enough to inform Tommy that Adam was running behind in his schedule and would be with him shortly.  Somehow, the information made Tommy more nervous.  To pass the time and calm his nerves, Tommy did what Tommy did best.  He overheard the receptionist and another massage therapist bitching about the fancy little sports car in the parking lot.  Apparently the client that was with Adam currently was an uppity old executive who thought the world owed him, and didn’t care that customers were to park to the right of the doors.  The parking on the left was for staff only, and the spot in question was designated to a very large, very pregnant young woman.  She had the late shift, and in turn had to park at the very back of the lot.  Of course, Tommy added his own brand of karma.

 

While playing karma police, Tommy also left a very nice gift in the therapist’s purse that she would see later when she was less emotional.

 

Not stopping with the therapist, Tommy also gave the receptionist a little something for the date she had the coming evening.  She’d gone on and on about the art museum’s new display.   She’d tried to get tickets to the exhibit, but they’d sold out.  Tommy simply created an extra two tickets and placed them inside her wallet next to her debit card.

 

A few more moments passed before a portly, older gentleman with a sour look on his face came barrelling through the door that led to the back office.  He stopped at the front desk and all but shoved his credit card in the receptionist’s face.  She politely took the card, ran it, and scheduled another appointment, all while the man bitched and moaned that he didn’t have all day.  The executive.  Tommy had to laugh.  Hopefully, the man didn’t have anywhere to be in the near future.  With the flat tires Tommy had so nicely left the man, his day was about to get much longer.

 

“Tommy…”  Adam announced Tommy’s name, it coming out more like a question once the name on the paper registered with the face in the waiting room.

 

Popping up from his seat, Tommy smiled at the receptionist and walked to where Adam stood with a look of wonderment on his face.  “Hey, Adam,” Tommy said politely as Adam ushered Tommy through the door and back to the massage room.

 

“Um...uh...what are you doing here?”  Adam finally asked once the door closed behind him.

 

“Getting a massage.”

 

Adam looked momentarily taken aback before answering.  “Right.”

 

Awkwardly, but professionally, Adam instructed Tommy to strip down to his underwear and wrap himself in the towel folded nicely at the end of the table.  Adam left the room while Tommy disrobed, returning moments later to a smiling, semi-naked man.  After several attempts to clear his throat, he had Tommy lie down on the table with his face in its cradle.  Adam methodically straightened the white sheets keeping Tommy modest, while he explained what occurred during the hour long hot rock massage.

 

“Ok, let’s get started,”  Adam said, as he lightly ran his hands up and down Tommy’s sheet-covered back.  He made two passes and then pulled the sheet down and tucked it into the top of the towel, exposing the expanse of Tommy’s pale skin.  Adam stepped back from the table, and Tommy heard clanking coming from somewhere above his head.  A few moments later, Adam was back at his side and rubbing oil up and down his skin.  He slid his hands down the thick muscles from shoulders to the edge of the sheet, and back up the center of Tommy’s spine.  Tommy whimpered at the sensation.  Adam really was good with his hands.

 

“If these are too hot, let me know.”  Adam placed two rocks onto Tommy’s left shoulder.  The rocks were definitely hot, but not too much to handle.  Adam began to move the rocks, one in each hand, in small circles.  The sensation was different than when Adam had used his hands with previous massages, but no less relaxing.  The heat of the rocks, and the pressure in Adam’s movements had Tommy’s muscles instantly turning to jello.  Tommy moaned loudly, causing Adam to hesitate briefly.

 

Adam continued on, changing out rocks with each section of Tommy’s back.  Once finished, he covered Tommy back up with the the sheet and moved on to his legs.  He would uncover one leg, manipulate and massage the tight muscles, cover it back up and then move to the next.  The sounds coming from Tommy’s throat sounded almost sexual.  It took every ounce of mental strength Tommy had to stay awake.

 

“It’s time to turn you over now,”  Adam said as he covered Tommy’s leg.  He held the sheet up as high as he could while keeping Tommy’s modesty, to give Tommy the room he needed to roll over.  He did so quickly, and settled down onto the table.  Tommy liked this position much better.  He would be able to watch Adam.

 

Adam uncovered Tommy’s left arm and began the same routine as he’d done on the other areas.  He worked out every kink and every knot from Tommy’s shoulder to the tip of his fingers.  He repeated the process on the other side, before moving on and paying attention to Tommy’s thighs.

 

Once finished with the thighs, Adam covered Tommy back up with the sheet and instructed him to get dressed.  As he was about to leave the room to give Tommy privacy to dress, he heard Tommy’s soft voice.  “Wait.”

 

Sighing, Adam turned around.  “What, Tommy?”

 

“That was really nice.  Thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome,”  Adam said, turning to leave again.

 

“I’m sorry.”  Adam stopped at Tommy’s words.  He turned again to look at Tommy.  The look of disappointment and apprehension on Adam’s face made Tommy’s belly clench.  He put that look in Adam’s eyes, and he hated himself for it.

 

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”  Adam’s voice sounded sad and lonely.

 

“Yes.  I do.  I hurt you, and I’m sorry.  I was angry and hurt.  I’m not making excuses, but that was my motivation.”

 

Adam raised his sad eyes to look into Tommy’s.  “You did hurt me.”

At Adam’s truthful words, Tommy stood up and crossed the short distance to where Adam stood.  Hesitantly, he placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder.  Adam tensed immediately.  Tommy kept his hand in place, squeezing softly as he spoke.  “I never wanted to hurt you, Adam.  Please believe that.  I was frustrated and angry over a situation I had no control over.  I didn’t stop to think. I didn’t stop to think about anything but what I was feeling.”

 

“You didn’t have to end our friendship, Tommy.”

 

“I know that now.”

 

Adam looked away from Tommy.  He was obviously thinking about something, but Tommy wasn’t in a place to be asking.  He’d lost the privilege of knowing Adam’s thoughts when he walked away.  If Adam didn’t want to tell Tommy what he was thinking, Tommy had no choice but to respect it.

 

Tommy wanted, needed, nothing more than to reconcile with Adam.  He needed Adam’s trust and friendship to lead him away from the illusion he was living, but the more time that passed, the more Tommy worried that his actions had blown any chance he’d had at getting Adam away from Xander.  A few more agonizing moments of silence, and Adam finally spoke.

 

“I missed you, Tommy.  Everyday I missed you.  You were my best friend.  I’ve never been that close to anyone before.  I know I’m at fault to some degree.  I was needy and touchy-feely.  I feel like I led you on.  Telling you I was attracted to you didn’t help.”

 

“You didn’t lead me on, Adam.  I always knew you were with Xander.  I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I didn’t wish you weren’t, but you never kept it from me.”

 

Adam walked over to the chair sitting on the far wall and slumped down into it.  He rubbed his hands across his face before pushing them back through his thick hair.  “That doesn’t change the fact that I’m at fault here, too.”

 

Tommy had moved closer to Adam, propping himself up on the edge of the massage table.  In his mind, none of this was Adam’s fault.  It was his.  He was the one that was needy.  He was the one who required Adam to be near as much as possible.  He was the one that was living in a fantasy that Adam would just up and leave Xander as soon as Adam realized Tommy’s feelings for him.  It was Tommy who’d broken Adam’s heart.

 

Tommy had broken Adam’s heart.  Tommy pondered that thought.  Adam was heartbroken.  Legitimately heartbroken over Tommy’s exit from his life.  Adam may not love Tommy the way that he wanted Adam too, but Adam cared from him.  He wouldn’t be heartbroken over someone he didn’t truly care for.  This gave Tommy a glimmer of hope.

 

“Can we be friends again?”  Tommy asked with a hopeful tone.  He may have wanted a hell of a lot more, but Tommy truly wanted to be Adam’s friend again.

 

Adam pondered for a moment before he looked up and met Tommy’s eyes.  “My heart can’t go through this again, Tommy.”

 

“I won’t run away again.”

 

“Promise me that if there’s a problem, you’ll talk to me.”

 

“I promise.”  Though Adam knew Tommy had feelings for him, he didn’t know the extent of those feelings, or the lengths Tommy had gone to because of those feelings.  He would never know, but Tommy could promise to talk to Adam when things got rough.  He had no intentions of leaving the man again.

 

Adam gave Tommy a sweet, encouraging smile.  He looked down at his watch and sighed.  “My next client should be here, since the last one ran over.”  

 

Tommy didn’t want to leave, but he understood.  Adam had a job to do, and Tommy couldn’t take up any more of his time.  “I’m sorry you have to deal with assholes like that.”  The small crinkle around Adam’s eyes let Tommy know he was surprised by Tommy’s comment.  “I heard the receptionist and another therapist talking.”

 

Understanding settled into Adam’s features.  “Yeah, well you have to take the good with the bad.”

 

“You still shouldn’t have to put up with it.  But don’t worry, I have a feeling the universe gave back some of his karma.”  Tommy chuckled softly.

 

Adam’s brow raised in question.  “Do I even want to know?”

 

“Let’s just say, he may be late to a meeting or two.”  With that both men laughed.  It felt nice to laugh with Adam again.  Tommy didn’t realize just how much he’d missed that sound.  “So, can I see you tonight?  Or does Xander have the night off?”

 

Just saying Xander’s name after all he’d learned, left a bad taste in Tommy’s mouth.  He wanted nothing more that to get Adam away from the toxic man, but he had to be slow, methodical.  He couldn’t reveal that he was a witch, or the conversation with Adam’s grandfather until he was sure Adam would be okay with all of it.  He also had to keep in mind that Bella was watching his every move. She would take every opportunity to get into Tommy’s mind and persuade him to do what she wanted. Tommy wanted Adam to fall in love with him, but he now knew that it may never come to be.  If friendship was all he would ever have with Adam, Tommy was okay with that, as long as Adam was safe from Bella and away from Xander.

 

“Murphy’s.  Say, seven?”  Adam said, a new emotion in his eyes that Tommy couldn’t quite decipher.

 

“Seven,”  Tommy said with a smile.

 

Adam smiled back.  He stood from the chair, and headed back towards the door.  Before exiting the room, Adam turned back around and faced Tommy.  “Can you do me a favor?”  Adam asked timidly, as if he were going to ask something embarrassing.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Can you bring Winston tonight?  I kinda miss your rat, too.”  

 

Tommy couldn’t help but laugh.  The look on Adam’s face as he asked about Rat was too adorable for words.  Rat’s little rodent ego would swell, but the look on Adam’s face was well worth it.  Tommy gave Adam a thumbs up in response, which earned him a warm smile before Adam exited the room.

 

Tommy quickly got dressed and stopped at the reception desk to book another appointment.  However, not before he turned his watched back on, and re-invoked his two way mirror.  He watched Adam for the rest of the afternoon, the smile never leaving either man’s face.

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

It didn’t take long for Adam and Tommy to fall back into their regular routine.  Dinner at Murphy’s, movies on the couch: it didn’t matter what they were doing; they were inseparable.  Xander had picked up more nights at the Center, so the only days Tommy didn’t get to see Adam were on Sunday and Thursday.  Adam had even reopened his booth.  On Monday’s he gave out free Massages.  The other days of the week, he worked at the office, but made a special trip to have lunch with Tommy every chance he had.

 

Since Adam re-entered Tommy’s life, Bellaepharent had been quiet.  This unnerved Tommy, to the point that he was back to watching Adam round the clock through his seeing eye spell.  Adam never took his necklace off, even during the time he and Tommy spent apart.  Tommy never saw anything suspicious, but he couldn’t take the risk.  Not with Adam.

 

In watching “Adam TV” Tommy slowly witnessed the deterioration of Adam’s relationship with Xander.  They were never really close, at least from an emotional standpoint. They’d become more distant, arguing a bit more, spending time together but not really being together.  When Adam spent time with Tommy, he was all over the other man.  He always had to be touching Tommy, leaning up against him, or holding his hand.  He was always in Tommy’s personal space, and Tommy loved it.  With Xander, they’d be in the same room but doing different things.  Xander would be watching TV while Adam sat across the room and read a book.   Tommy tucked the information away for later use.

 

“I’m taking the day off tomorrow. Any chance you can do the same?”  Adam asked Tommy through the phone.  He’d called Tommy on his lunch break.  A client had run over, and Adam wasn’t able to meet Tommy as he normally would.

 

Tommy was at his booth, leaning back in the chair with his feet propped up on the table.  “Well, I am my own boss.”

 

Tommy could almost feel the smile spread across Adam’s face.  One thing that Tommy learned early on about Adam, his voice showed his emotions. “Great!”  Adam almost shouted into the phone.  “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

 

“In the evening?”

 

“In the morning.”

 

Groaning, Tommy dropped his feet to the ground and sat up.  A tourist was approaching his booth, and he needed to make some money. The day had been slow.  “That’s early.”

 

Again, Tommy could feel that Adam was rolling his eyes.  “You’re at the Boardwalk every morning by eight.”

 

“That’s a whole extra hour of sleep.  You don’t know what it’s like to live with Rat.  I need my beauty sleep.”

 

Adam laughed into the phone, and Tommy joined him.  There was not a more gorgeous sound in the world than that of Adam’s laughter.  Well, maybe one thing, but Tommy tried not to think about it too much.

 

“You’re crazy, Tommy.  I’ll see you at seven.”

 

“Bye, Adam.”

 

Putting his phone in his pocket, Tommy cleaned up his table just in time for a tourist to arrive.  She was a pretty girl, maybe nineteen or twenty.  Her hair was a deep, rich brown with corkscrew curls.  Something about her face looked familiar.  Big chocolate eyes and pale skin with freckles sparsely placed across her nose and cheeks, the girl had a look of pure innocence.  Tommy smiled as she stopped in front of the table.

 

“Hi there, young lady.  How can I be of service to you today?”

 

She looked bashful, biting her lip as she peered at Tommy.  “Um, I’m told you’re the best magician on the Boardwalk.  I wanted to come and see for myself.”

 

“You’ve come to the right place.”  Tommy smiled politely at the girl.  He knew he was the best damn magician. He was riding a small high knowing that someone had acknowledged it. “What would you like to see?”

 

The girl thought for a moment.  She looked up at the sky, her lip back between her teeth.  When the lightbulb went off, she leaned across the table, looking around to see if anyone was watching.  “I’m told you can do things.”

 

Tommy raised his brow.  “What kind of things?”

 

“Oh, you know,”  she continued, twirling her hair between her fingers like girls sometimes do when they are trying to get their way with their parents or boyfriends. “stuff that no one else can do.”

 

There was no way that this random girl knew about Tommy.  She must have heard about him through a friend who had been at the booth.  “And where did you hear that?”

 

“I have a friend who has a beautiful necklace around her neck.  She claims she got it from you.  Well, her boyfriends, but you helped.”

 

Ah, the polyamorous trio.  Tommy remembered quite well.  Their emotion and love for each other had been so visible, it’d made Tommy emotional for a split second.

 

Needing the tip, and having the girls attention, Tommy turned on his charm.  He may have taken himself out of the game when Adam bounced into his life, but he still knew how to flirt with the best of them.  He smiled provocatively at the girl.  “Again, what would you like to see?”

 

The girl blushed, making the freckles on her cheeks fade away.  Tommy’s thoughts went to Adam.  His freckles did the same thing when his cheeks flushed.  

 

The girl pretended to be contemplating his question again.  Tommy knew she already knew what she wanted, but he played along.  If body language told him anything, it was that before this girl left, he would get either a phone number or a proposition.  If he had a dollar for every phone number he’d gotten over the past ten years, he’d probably be able to buy himself a brand new car.

 

The grin that slid across the girl’s face made every hair on the back of Tommy’s neck stand on end.  Red flags were going up in every corner of his mind with that one snake-like smile.  The girl leaned in close.  “Your soul.”

 

Tommy fumbled back, tripping over the chair and landing on the hard concrete.  His eyes wide with horror, ass throbbing from hitting the ground, he tried to scurry back on his hands, but was stopped by the wall behind his booth.  The girl, rather demon, let out a blood curdling cackle as she watched Tommy try to scurry away.

 

Where the fuck was Rat?  Rat was able to sniff out Bella from a mile away.

 

“The look on your face.”  Bella walked around the table and crouched down in front of Tommy.  Tommy’s breathing was erratic, and his heart was beating out of his chest.  Panic gripped him to the point he couldn’t move.  “I can smell the fear on you.  It’s going to be so much fun playing with you for eternity.”

 

With those words, Bella stood and disappeared as if she were never there.  As soon as she was gone, Tommy let out a sob.  With the close proximity to Bella, he was able to feel her in his head again.  It was as if she were silently taunting him.  She’d done it a lot after she’d slept with Tommy.  She tormented his dreams mostly, but every so often he would hear her voice in his head.  Then she’d stopped, and Tommy had heard nothing until today.  Tommy wanted to puke.  He knew Bella would never give up, but the weeks of quiet had given him false hope.

 

**Tommy!  Tommy!**

 

Rat’s voice sounded distant.  How could that be?  He was just up the way, chewing on some scraps before Bella showed up.

 

“Rat, where are you?”

 

**In the drain pipe two booths down.**

 

Tommy hurried over to the art booth where the drain was located just behind the artist’s backdrop.  He lifted the grate from the top, and Winston ran out as if something was chasing him.

 

**God, that smelled horrible.**

 

“How did you get in the drain, Rat.”

 

Winston explained that he was eating the crumbs of a walking taco that someone had thrown on the ground when he was pushed into the drain.  Bella would never be able to outsmart Winston, or capture him.  A sneak attack was the only way.  

 

“Why didn’t you warn me she was here?”

 

**I tried.  She must have put a sound barrier around the drain.**

 

“Sneaky bitch.”  Tommy seethed.  He knew he would never be rid of Bella, not after sleeping with her, him.  But why taunt him out in the open and trap his familiar?  She didn’t need to do those things when she had full access to his mind. “She’s gloating.”

 

**About what?**

 

“That she can get to me anywhere and everywhere.  She doesn’t have to use only my mind.  I froze as soon as I figured out the girl was her.  She knows she can get to me, so she’s going to use every means possible.”

 

**You’re stronger than Bella, Tommy.  She wants to get to you.**

 

“I know that, but she’s still going to try.”

 

~ ~ ~

 

Tommy woke up in a cold sweat, blankets tangled around his body.  It was still dark out.  Three thirty-two a.m.  Bella was in Tommy’s head again, resurfacing after weeks of silence.  She came to him this time in voice only.  No visuals of Adam in pleasure or pain, just words that drained the blood from Tommy’s limbs, leaving only the numb tingling sensation.  

 

She had been chanting mostly.   _Adam will never love you.  He will always love Xander.  You can make him love you.  Use your magic, Tommy.  Make Adam love you._

 

Tommy shook his head in an attempt to get her words out of his head.  He couldn’t just snap his fingers and make Adam love him, but he could set the stage, clear a few obstacles and pave the way.  He would never do it though.  Bellaepharent would never get him to do it, no matter how loud her voice became in the depths of his brain. He wouldn’t do it.

 

Unable to go back to sleep, Tommy got up.  He was careful not to wake Winston.  Sometimes Tommy wondered how the rat ever managed to rest, since Tommy was always doing something to put Winston in a panic.  At least ever since Adam came along.  Tommy tiptoed past the rat and headed towards the bathroom.  He showered quickly and dressed for the day.  Adam didn’t tell him what they would be doing, so he just dressed in his normal attire.

 

By four thirty, Tommy was dressed, ready to go and bored.  Adam wouldn’t be there until seven.  Winston was still asleep. Tommy didn’t want to do anything that would wake the rat up, so he went back into the bathroom and invoked the mirror.  There in front of Tommy was a sleeping Adam.

 

He was beautiful awake, but sleeping, Adam was angelic.  His hair was messy, his eyelashes fanned out, and his face relaxed and content.  The sheet was draped across his torso, exposing the vast plains of muscle and skin.  The sight of a half naked Adam made Tommy ache.  He wanted to touch the entire expanse of skin, and everything in between.  He wanted to kiss those pouty, full lips, cuddle into the nook of Adam’s body and never leave.

 

With that thought, Tommy realized something.  Something was missing.  Rather, someone was missing.  Xander.  The Center closed hours ago.  Where the hell was Xander?  Tommy enjoyed the fact that Xander wasn’t in bed with Adam, but he was also suspicious.  After everything that he’d discovered about Xander, his mind immediately wandered to a place in the past where Adam had craved Xander’s affections and had paid the price for it.

 

Adam stirred and pulled Tommy out of his thoughts.  Adam moaned softly, rubbing his hands over his bare chest.  The moan didn’t sound like he was waking up, it sounded sexual.  Tommy leaned in closer towards the mirror.

 

Adam was mumbling something in his sleep that Tommy couldn’t make out.  He tossed and turned a few times before his hand slid under the sheet.  The whimper that came from Adam’s mouth as his hand met his dick caused Tommy to whimper in return.  His mouth went dry, and his own dick came to life.   He watched in raptured awe as Adam’s hand moved below the sheet.  What he wouldn’t give to see what was going on beneath it.   He found himself unzipping his own jeans and sliding his hand inside.

 

He gripped himself and began moving his own hand in time with Adam’s.  When Adam sped up, Tommy sped up.  When Adam’s hand slowed, Tommy slowed as well.  Watching Adam masturbate felt wrong, but at the same time, it almost felt like they were doing it together.  Tommy moaned loudly at the thought.

 

“Tommy,”  Adam breathed.  It was almost too faint to hear, but Tommy heard it.  Loud and clear, Tommy heard it.  He increased his speed, unable to match Adam’s pace as his mind ran wild with hope.

 

Tommy’s eyes never leaving the screen, he watched as Adam came undone, and he began to climax himself.  Adam whined and moaned, writhing in the bed until his body came to a stop and his eyes shot open.  He sat up on the bed and put his hand on his heart.  Tommy could tell he was breathing heavy, a look of shock spreading across his features.  Adam sat there for long moments until his breathing was back to normal.  His hand slid up to the necklace that Tommy had given him, and he smiled before jumping out of bed and padding to the bathroom.

 

Tommy’s heart leapt as he stared at that smile.  It was short lived, however.  In his head, Tommy heard an all too familiar voice.  

 

_You can have him, Tommy.  No more watching through a silly mirror.  Take him. Claim him.  Own him._

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

Adam arrived at seven o’clock sharp.  He tapped lightly on Tommy’s door, so lightly that Tommy barely heard it.  He’d been arguing with Winston.  Winston was upset about being woken up by “Tommy time.”  Being a familiar, Winston could feel every emotion that Tommy felt.  Unfortunately, that meant Winston had to be an indirect participant in Tommy’s sex life.  He’d gotten used to it over the years, but he got a bit testy when he was woken from a good sleep due to the overflow of Tommy’s pervy emotions.

 

Without giving Winston all the details, Tommy explained that Bella was in his head again.  Winston promised to be more vigilant and not allow her to get to Tommy.

 

“Hey,”  Adam said as Tommy opened the door.  As soon as Tommy saw Adam’s face, he began picturing Adam’s hand beneath the sheet, his name escaping Adam’s lips.  Tommy grinned like an idiot, causing Adam’s face to contort with intrigue.  “Is everything ok.”

 

Still smiling like a creeper, Tommy answered.  “Everything is great.”

 

Tommy moved out of the way, and Adam stepped inside the apartment.  Tommy had cleaned up a bit, killing the time before Adam showed up and trying to keep his mind busy so he wouldn’t continue to hear Bella’s chant.  

 

“I made coffee.  You want some?”  Tommy asked, moving in the direction of the kitchen.  Adam followed closely.

 

“Sure.”

 

Two Splendas, and a touch of cream.  That’s how Adam took his coffee.  Tommy quickly stirred the contents and handed it to Adam.  The smile was still plastered on Tommy’s face as he raised his cup to his lips.  The hot liquid burned his throat.  Tommy drank his coffee black, and the bitter taste was a welcome friend after being awake since three thirty in the morning.

 

“So, what do you have planned today?”  Tommy asked, taking another sip.

 

Adam did the same, drawing the liquid from the cup with his supple lips.  Tommy had to look away for a second and gather his thoughts.  Ever since Adam walked over the threshold into Tommy’s apartment, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what Adam had done.  What they’d done together.

 

“I was thinking we’d go to the Art Museum downtown.  They’re having an exhibit I think you’ll love.  It’s gothic themed.”  Adam smiled wide.  He knew Tommy well.

 

“Dragons on display?  I’m in.”

 

“I thought you would be.  And if you like something, there’s a silent auction on all the pieces.  You can place a bid, and maybe win a dragon to add to your collection.”  Adam pointed to the bookshelf next to the window that didn’t hold a single book.  Every shelf was covered with dragons.

 

“Well, let’s go then,”  Tommy said, taking Adam’s cup from his hands and dumping it in the sink.

 

“I was drinking that.”  Adam laughed.

 

“No time.  There are dragons waiting.”  Tommy grabbed Adam’s hand and pulled him towards the door.  

 

**I’ll be right behind you.  I’ll let you know if I see anything**.  Tommy nodded his head in Winston’s direction and walked out the door.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Adam hadn’t been exaggerating.  The exhibit was indeed gothic in theme.  There were a few earthly things on display, but for the most part, all the art was some version of dark beauty.  “This is amazing.  I didn’t realize there’d be so much.”

 

“You’d be surprised how many people are attracted to darkness,”  Adam said.

 

Tommy shuddered a bit at Adam’s words.  He knew all too well about darkness.  He wondered if the pull was psychological, or if these dark artists were having their strings pulled by amused demons.  He shook the thought from his mind as he and Adam approached a painting.  The painting was of two men, darkened by the shadows in an intimate embrace.  The one man was small, blond, his features cast in the shadows.  He was in the arms of a larger man.  This man had dark hair, light yet masculine features, and large black wings extending from his back.

 

Tommy’s breath caught in his lungs.  The angel had a striking resemblance to Adam, and the man in his arms, though his face was hidden, had the stature of Tommy.  “I want that,” Tommy said, pointing to the painting.

 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

 

Tommy did think it was beautiful.  He wanted to buy it badly.  He wrote his name on the sheet near the painting with his offer.  He was pretty sure the offer was ridiculous, but he wanted it enough that money didn’t matter.

 

They walked around some more, stopping at every exhibit, Adam teasing Tommy about his dragon obsession.  They stopped at a table that made Adam’s eyes bug out of his head.  The art was a sculpture that had been carved out of wood and painted in shades of black and gray. It was of a panther curled around her cub as if she were protecting it.

 

“I love that,”  Adam said, caressing the wooden animal with his hand.

 

“You like cats, huh?”

 

“Not particularly, I just love what this represents.  Protection.  Kinda like the painting you bid on.”

 

Adam was right.  It was similar in meaning.  Though cats were not nearly as intriguing as dragons. “Not enough dragons,”  Tommy said playfully.

 

“Don’t you like cats?”  Adam asked with a chuckle.

 

“What is there to like.  No wings, no scales, no fire-breathing.”

 

Adam pinched Tommy’s cheek.  “Awe.  Tommy doesn’t like the little kitty.”

 

“Stop that,”  Tommy said, batting Adam’s hand away.

 

“What’s the matter, little kitty?”  Adam asked, poking Tommy in the side and giggling under his breath.

 

“Do not call me kitty.”  

 

Adam calmed himself for a moment and put his hand up to his chin as if he were deep in thought.  His eyes went to the ceiling, “hmm” coming from his lips.  “Kitten.”

 

“What?”

 

“I think I am going to call you Kitten from now on.”

 

“Oh, God.”

 

Adam just laughed as he walked to the next exhibit.

 

~ ~ ~ ~

 

Tommy ended up winning the painting, and significantly less than he bid.  He also put bids on two different dragon paintings, but was not as lucky.  No matter, he was happy with the piece he’d won.  He knew just the place for it too.  Adam on the other hand, was outbid on the panther sculpture.  Tommy saw a tiny bit of sadness in Adam’s eyes at the loss.  He really wanted that art, so Tommy did what Tommy does.  While Adam’s was admiring the feline one last time, Tommy placed his hand on the wood and closed his eyes.  Adam asked with concern why Tommy had been shaking, which Tommy brushed off as a moment of chills.

 

On the walk home, the best friends stopped at a roadside cafe for a quick lunch.  They were eager to get back to Tommy’s place and watch a movie.  It was only around noon, but Tommy was exhausted from being up so early, and Adam didn’t care what was on the agenda as long as they were hanging out together.  

 

While enjoying lunch, Adam let Tommy in on some of his work gossip.  He informed Tommy that his asshole client had stopped coming for his visits.  A rumor had surfaced that he’d lost his job due to being over four hours late to a mandatory meeting.  Tommy should feel bad that his magical interference caused the man to lose his job, but he was rude to Adam, and Tommy had a very difficult time dealing with that.

 

This made Tommy think about Xander and the terrible things he’d done to Adam over the years.  He’d neglected Adam to the point he felt unlovable, and then had put Adam into a position that hurt him physically.  Tommy wanted nothing more that to make Xander disappear.  Maybe Bella knew a demon…  No.  Tommy wouldn’t wish a demon on anyone, even someone he hated as much as Xander.  He just needed him gone, somewhere far away where he could never hurt Adam again.

 

_You know how to make that happen, Tommy.  Claim him._

 

Tommy shook the unwanted voice from his head.  Damn Bella.  She’d never have his soul.  She’d never break him, though what she’d said would be easy.  Tommy shook his head again.  What the hell was he saying?  He would never give in to Bella.  Nope.  Not now, and not ever.

 

“Are you okay?”  Adam asked after seeing Tommy shaking his head around like he was spastic.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.  I thought I felt a bee or something,”  Tommy lied. One day he’d tell Adam what he was, but he’d always keep Adam in the dark when it came to Bella.  The less Adam knew about demons, the better.

 

“So,”  Adam continued, satisfied with Tommy’s explanation, “I was wondering if you wanted to go with me to visit my grandfather next weekend?”

 

“Huh?”  Tommy perked up.  “Do you have another living grandfather?”

 

“No.”  A sad look crossed Adam’s eyes that made Tommy wish he could take back his statement.  Though not intended, it did sound a bit harsh.  “It would have been my grandfather’s  seventy-seventh birthday next Saturday.  I was thinking about going home and visiting his grave.  I was hoping that you’d go with me.”

 

If Tommy’s jaw could have hit the floor, it would have.  Adam was inviting Tommy to spend the weekend with him, and not only that but where he grew up. A barrage of emotions flooded Tommy’s mind and body.  “What about Xander?”  Tommy wasn’t going to turn Adam down by any means, but Xander was the giant elephant in the equation.

 

Adam frowned, which made Tommy’s heart sink.  He hated seeing Adam even the slightest bit sad.  “He has a convention that starts Thursday.  He won’t be back until Monday night.”

 

“Why would he leave the weekend you have something so important?”  Tommy had to ask.

 

Adam shrugged his shoulders and let out a drawn out sigh.  “Xander’s been...off lately.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Tommy said sympathetically.  Inside, he was thrilled that all was not well in the paradise he longed to squash.  He wanted to know details, hear that Adam was pissed at Xander, wanted him gone, but Tommy bit his tongue.  Adam would elaborate if he wanted.

 

Adam smiled weakly.  “It’s not your fault.  He’s just...Can we change the subject, please?”

 

“Sure,”  Tommy said knowingly.  He knew Adam was thinking the same thing that he himself was thinking.  Xander was falling back into his old routine.  Maybe he already had.  “I’d love to go with you.”

 

At this, Adam’s smile began to shine.  He leaned over the table and awkwardly tryied to lean forward enough to give Tommy a light hug, but instead sat back down and squeezed Tommy’s hand in thanks.  “I can’t wait to show you where I grew up.  We can stay at my grandfather’s old house. Well, my house actually.”

 

“You own the house?”

 

“Yeah.  I could have sold it after my grandfather died, but I have too many happy memories there.  I just couldn’t bring myself to part with it.”

 

This time, Tommy’s smile beamed.  “That’s really sweet, Adam.”  He may have just fallen in love with Adam a little bit more.

 

“Thanks, Kitten.”

 

Tommy rolled his eyes.  Adam really was going to call him Kitten from now on.

~ ~ ~

 

Once back at Tommy’s apartment, Adam made popcorn in the microwave while Tommy chose a movie to watch.  Adam loved romantic comedies, which Tommy hated, but watching it with Adam meant being close to Adam, so in a way, he was beginning to love them.

 

“You want butter?”  Adam yelled from the kitchen.

 

“Extra.” Tommy chose a movie.  It wasn’t a movie he’d heard of before, some cheesy B-movie he’d guess from the lack of recognizable names.  The description said the story was about a guy who pretends to be gay to win a girls affections, but in turn falls for her brother.  Interesting.

 

Adam skips, literally skips, into the room with a look of pain on his face.  He’s caring two bags of popcorn with visible steam breaking through the split in the seams. “Would you like some help?”

 

“No, I’m good.  It’s just really fucking hot.”

 

Tommy laughed.  “You should have seen yourself when you walked in here.  You were doing this skipping thing.”

 

“It was hot,”  was Adam’s only response.

 

Settling onto the couch, Adam handed Tommy his popcorn and snuggled into his side.  As the opening credits began to roll, Tommy flipped off the lights so the glare wouldn’t be so bad.  “I hope there’s some gratuitous penis in this movie.”

 

Adam whips his head around to Tommy. “Tommy!  I can’t believe you just said that.”

 

Looking sheepish, Tommy replied, “What?  It’s a B-movie.  That means the chances of seeing a dick in all it’s glory increases by at least fifty percent.”

 

“You’re so weird.”  Adam laughs as he throws a piece of popcorn at Tommy’s head.

 

Tommy catches it right before it hits him in the eye and pops it into his mouth.  “What?  It’s true.  Besides, do you really enjoy having to look at tits all the time?  To counter all the big fake tits, there needs to be a big, fat, juicy-”

 

“Stop.  Just stop.  I get your point.”  Adam had his hand up in a stopping gesture.  He tried to look like he was disgusted, but his face gave him away.  He was thoroughly enjoying himself.

 

Both men settled back down into the couch, and began the movie.  Every now and then, Tommy would look over to Adam and smile, or Adam would look over at Tommy and call him Kitten.  It was a snap shot of the perfect couple, so deeply in love their emotions were impossible to mask. If only Xander weren’t in the way.

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

“Kitten, what did you do?” Adam asked through the phone.  It took him two days to find the surprise that Tommy had left in his apartment.  When he’d transferred the painting of the panther to Adam’s apartment, he’d hid it in the back of Adam’s closet.  He hadn’t wanted to leave it out in the open for Xander to see if he happened to get home before Adam.  Adam wouldn’t have been able to explain it, and Tommy had known if Adam were to see it before Xander, he’d bring it up to Tommy first.

 

“I did nothing,”  Tommy lied.

 

“How did you get the painting?  Better yet, how did you get it into my closet?”

 

“Magic.”  It was Tommy’s answer to everything.

 

Tommy heard Adam sigh through the phone.  He had to know that Tommy didn’t walk into his apartment and hide it.  Tommy had never been inside Adam’s apartment farther than the entryway.  He still refused to spend time with Adam in Xander’s territory.  

 

“You always say that.  I’m starting to believe you really did get it here with magic.”

 

Smiling to himself, Tommy asked into the phone, changing the subject slightly,  “So where are you going to put it?  Living room?  Kitchen?  Over your bed?”

 

“Well,”  Adam took a moment to answer.  He must have been thinking of the perfect place.  “I think I’m going to put it in the studio.  It’s sorta my room in the apartment.”

 

“Your room?”  Tommy already knew that Adam spent a great deal of time in this room, but didn’t know Adam considered it his room.

 

“Yeah.  I go in there to relax, read. Basically, I spend my alone time in that room.”

 

Tommy liked the idea that Adam had his own room, somewhere he was able to go and be away from Xander if he wanted to.  He had his own personal space that didn’t belong to Xander.   “I think it will look great in there.”

 

“You’ve never been in the studio.  In fact, you’ve never been in my apartment.  Not really.”

 

He knew Adam didn’t understand why Tommy never wanted to do things at Adam’s apartment, but he just couldn’t stand to be in the same place that Adam cohabited with Xander.  Every time Tommy thought of Xander, he thought of what Adam’s grandfather told him.  He also saw the images from the mirror: sex without intimacy.  It pissed him off more than he even understood.

 

“Maybe someday.”

 

“Yeah, maybe.  Anyway, I’ve gotta go to work. I’ll see you tonight?”

 

“Murphy’s.  Seven.”

 

“Sounds great.  Until then, Kitten.”

 

Tommy rolled his eyes, even though there was no one there to see it.  “Bye, Adam.”

 

Hanging up the phone, Tommy sat down on the couch and turned on the link between Adam’s necklace and Tommy’s watch, observing Adam for the rest of the afternoon.

 

~ ~ ~

 

**What’s the plan?**  Winston asked as Tommy primped in the mirror.  It was about two hours before Tommy was to meet Adam at Murphy’s.  He and Winston had planned on doing some shopping before they met.  Tommy needed some things if he were going to spend a weekend with Adam, starting with a suitcase.  Tommy really didn’t want to show up at Adam’s with all his things in a dirty old knapsack.

 

“Let’s go to the discount store.”

 

**Are you cheap now?**

 

“No, I just don’t see a point in spending five hundred dollars on a suitcase.”

 

Ten minutes later, witch and rat were in the car, heading downtown to buy a suitcase.  Traffic was horrible as it always was during rush hour.  Horns blaring every few minutes, start-stop, start-stop, fingers flying - all reasons Tommy hated downtown.  He tried to stay just on the outskirts.  Most of the time he was able to find everything he needed, but unfortunately the discount stores were all downtown.

 

“Jesus, I hate this road.  Why can’t people put their god damn foot on the gas and go?”

 

**Because humans in general are stupid.**

 

“I wish I could just cast a spell and get the hell out of here.”

 

**It would be nice wouldn’t it?**

 

Stupid magic rules.  As much as Tommy hated traffic, he wasn’t smudging his aura.  

 

It took so long to get the the discount store, Tommy barely had time to buy the suitcase.  He bought two, one large and one small, just to make sure he’d have enough space for all of his stuff.

 

They made their way back to Murphy’s with a few minutes to spare.  Adam was already there, waiting at the bar.  He was in his usual spot.  Tommy approached and took the seat next to him, while Winston darted off in the other direction to start patrol.  Bella had gotten to Tommy twice, and Winston didn’t want there to be a third.  It was almost impossible for Winston to track Bella when she was in disguise, but there were certain things, changes in the atmosphere so to speak, that Winston could sense.  They were the same for all demons, but no other demon had ever showed any interest in Tommy, so Winston knew it would be Bellaepharent every time.

 

“Hey.  I almost didn’t make it,”  Tommy said, waving down the bartender.  He placed his order and turned his stool to face Adam.

 

“That’s ok, I know you’d call if you couldn’t make it.”  The sadness and hurt were still present on Adam’s face every now and then when they’d mention something that’d happened earlier in their friendship.  Tommy felt horrible that he’d put Adam in a position that he would ever doubt Tommy, but he had, and now Tommy had to make up for it.

 

“Of course I would have,”  Tommy said as he smiled reassuringly up at Adam.  He’d gain Adam’s complete trust one day.  He’d do whatever he needed to do, and hopefully when that day came, Xander would be out of the picture.  “I had to go downtown and buy a suitcase for this weekend.  I had nothing to put my stuff in.”

 

“I could have loaned you one.”

 

Tommy wouldn’t tell Adam that he didn’t want to use something that Xander had probably used, but that’s how he felt.  Everything that reminded him of Xander made his blood boil.

 

“So, tell me more about your grandfather,”  Tommy said, wanting to know as much as he could from Adam’s point of view.  The more information he had regarding Adam’s past, the more he could use it to open Adam’s eyes to what he really needed and deserved.  He wouldn’t push for information, but he hoped Adam would be forthcoming at some point.

 

The bartender came back with Tommy’s drink.  Tommy thanked him, and paid with a generous tip.  He didn’t miss the look the bartender gave him as he walked away.  He looked down at his receipt.  Sure enough, there was a phone number.  Laughing, Tommy handed it to Adam to see.  Adam looked, laughed along with Tommy, then crumbled and tossed it on the counter.

 

“Well, he’d do some of the most insane things.  Dangerous things, but act like they were no big deal.  Like I said, he was always a little odd, but there was never an explanation for any of it.”

 

“Like what?”

 

Adam’s forehead lined as he thought about what story to tell Tommy.  His face in concentration was something Tommy adored.  Adam was a thinker, and his forehead was a tell.  Though youthful and vibrant in every way, Adam’s forehead and eyes had a slight crinkle.  Tommy liked to think that they were the marks of wisdom.

 

“When I was sixteen, my grandfather began teaching me how to drive.  It was the best and worst experience of my life.  He had this giant car.  I don’t even remember what it was, but it was huge...and old.  It had this trunk that could have held a small village, and was banana yellow.  I hated that car.  It was the scariest thing to drive, but he told me if I wanted to learn how to drive, I had to drive it.”

 

“I’m picturing you in that car.”  Tommy laughed.  Hard.

 

“It was so embarrassing.  But I loved my grandfather, so I let him teach me how to drive in that ugly thing.  Anyway.  One day, we were out driving in the rain.  It was my first time driving in shitty weather, and I was terrified.  Being the encouraging man that he was, my grandfather cheered me on and tried to calm my nerves.  I was doing pretty well until the loudest thunder clap I’d ever heard happened.  I jumped out of the seat, and swerved into the other lane. I almost clipped the car next to me.  When we got to a stoplight, the other guy got out of his car.  He actually got out, threw his fist into the hood before walking over to my window and chewing me out.  My grandfather got out of the car.  The rain was coming down so hard I couldn’t see, even with the wipers on.”  Adam stopped for a moment, a smile creeping across his lips.  “I don’t know exactly what happened, but when he was finished, the guy was on his knees and crying.  He looked like someone who’d just had his ass kicked and was crying uncle, but my grandfather never touched him.”

 

Tommy was picturing a thousand scenarios.  It seemed that Adam’s grandfather used his magic freely and in the open as Tommy had always done.  However, Tommy couldn’t remember if he’d ever actually kicked someone’s ass with it. “Wow.  He sounds like he was a trip.”

 

“And a half.”

 

“What was his name?”  Tommy asked.  He’d never gotten Adam’s grandfather’s name when he’d been summoned.

 

“His name was Theodore, but I called him Teddy.”

 

“As in teddy bear?”

 

“Sorta, yeah.  When I was really young, apparently I had trouble saying grandpa.  He had a friend who called him Teddy.  Teddy was on a bowling team for many years.  He used to take me with him.   I heard it, and the rest is history.”

 

“That’s really sweet, Adam.”  Tommy didn’t have a bad relationship with his family but wasn’t exactly close to them.  He never knew his grandparents.  They’d died when he was too young to remember them.  His father left when Tommy was nine, unable to handle all the knowledge that his wife, daughter, and son were all witches. His mother, sister, and all his aunts and female cousins were witches.  Being the only male witch, Tommy didn’t get along with the other boys in the family.  He’d grown up with mostly female influences.  

 

“Tell me about you, Kitten.  Got any stories to tell me?”  Adam asked, the smile still plastered on his face.  The same smile that made Tommy melt every time he gazed at it. The same smile that made Tommy want to kiss the lips it belonged to.  The same smile that Tommy wanted to see wrapped around his-

 

“I don’t really have any.  At least not any that are interesting.”

 

“Everyone has interesting history, Kitten.”

 

“Ok, let me think.”  

 

Tommy ended up letting loose, and told Adam about almost everything that made up his childhood.  Adam was sympathetic when Tommy told him that he didn’t remember his grandparents.  Adam squeezed Tommy’s hand with affection when he’d told Adam about his dad leaving.  He laughed along with Tommy when he began telling all the stories about his sister and cousins and all the things they’d talked him into doing.

 

“It was like I was their science experiment.  Being the only boy around, they somehow talked me into anything.”

 

“Define anything.”

 

“Do I have to?”

 

“Let me think.  Yes.”

 

Sighing, Tommy gave Adam a grimace.  Some of his stories were so embarrassing.  “Well.  They talked me into putting on women’s lingerie and singing show tunes.  In front of a camera.” Tommy still remembered that humiliating day.  “Did I mention there’s video?”

 

“No.”

 

“Yep.  Thank god it was before the internet.”

 

Laughing so hard his shoulders were bouncing up and down, Adam said, “I have to see that.”

 

“Not a chance.”  Tommy pushed Adam backwards on his stool, faking anger.  He was terrible at pretending to be mad.  It was impossible to be mad at Adam.

 

Catching his breath, Adam took another sip of his drink. He wiped the tears of humor from his eyes.  “Sometimes I wish I had a sister.  Or cousins.”

 

“No you don’t.  They were evil assholes.  Sometimes they still are.”

 

“Please tell me more.”

 

Tommy told Adam a few more embarrassing stories, leaving out all the supernaturals aspects.  The magical parts made the stories better, but he couldn’t divulge those details without giving away his secret.  Adam had to figure it out on his own, Tommy couldn’t tell him.  Adam needed to discover it on his own and accept it; that was the only way he would ever be able to be with Adam.  That and Xander leaving.

 

The two men finished their drinks and eventually their dinners before heading back to Tommy’s place for the usual movies and popcorn.  There were no warnings from Winston, so Bella hadn’t shown up, which was a relief.  After all the messages she’d been planting in Tommy’s mind, he figured she’d be there.  He had no delusions, however.  Bella may not have been there physically, and may have been silent in his mind, but she was there.  She would always be there waiting, biding her time until she found a way to Tommy’s soul.

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

“Hurry up, Rat, or I’m leaving you behind,”  Tommy said as he threw his suitcases into the backseat of his car.  He’d told Adam that he wanted to drive, and Adam had agreed.  There was something about driving during a road trip that put Tommy’s mind at ease.  The wind blowing through the windows, the smell in the air, it felt like being free of anything and everything for a brief moment in time.

 

**I’m coming, Tommy.  Don’t get your panties in a bunch.**

Tommy rolled his eyes at his familiar.  You’d think Winston, being a rat, would just have to jump in the car and go.  Unfortunately, being a familiar, he had to check the supernatural atmosphere around the apartment to make sure it was secure.  The last thing they needed was Bella breaking into the apartment while they were gone.

 

**All clear.  Let’s get this show on the road.**

 

Tommy had texted Adam, letting him know that he was on his way.  The trip to Adam’s house had taken about twenty minutes.  He lived on the opposite side of town, and being a Friday, traffic was again a bitch.  Tommy pulled into the parking space on the road and got out of the car.  Walking to the door, he noticed that Xander’s car was in the driveway.  Shit.  He hadn’t known that Xander would be home.  Maybe he’d be asleep since he’d worked the Center last night.  Tommy rang the doorbell and waited.

 

About thirty seconds later, Adam answered the door.  With a bright smile on his face, he held the door open for Tommy.  “Hey, Kitten.  Come on in.  I’m almost ready.”

 

Tommy walked through the door, stopping in the entryway as he’d always done.  Adam gave him an incredulous look.  “You can come in farther than the entry,”  Adam said.

 

“I’m good here.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Adam turned and disappeared into his bedroom.  Tommy’s gut rolled at the thought of Adam in there gathering his things while Xander was asleep on the bed.  From all the nights Tommy had spent watching through his mirror, much to his displeasure, he knew Xander slept naked.  He shuddered at the thought.

 

Adam came back out of the room moments later with his suitcase in hand.  “Let’s hit the road.”

 

“Sure, thing.  But we’re stopping for coffee first.”

 

“Sounds good.”

 

Before they made it out the door, someone cleared their throat.  Xander.  Both men turned.  Xander was standing in the doorway of the bedroom, an unreadable look on his face.  “Where the fuck are you going?” he asked.  There wasn’t anger in this voice, but the curiosity was very noticeable.  Tommy hated Xander with every fiber of his being.  If it weren’t for Adam, he’d tell Xander to mind his own fucking buisness.

 

“I told you last week. I’m spending the weekend at my Grandfather’s house.”

 

“With him?”  Xander threw a shitty look in Tommy’s direction.

 

“We’ve been over this before,”  Adam said on a sigh.  Tommy really couldn’t understand what Adam saw in the douchebag.

 

“Call me when you get there.”  Xander grunted in annoyance, turned and slammed the bedroom door behind him.

 

Adam looked at Tommy, the embarrassment written all over his face.  “I’m sorry about that.”

 

Tommy may have been able to bite his tongue with Xander, but he’d never been able to with Adam.  He’d been honest from the beginning about his feeling toward Xander.  Though they’d one civil dinner together, Xander did everything to let Tommy know how much he hated Adam being around Tommy.  Tommy never told Adam of their confrontations, however.  Tommy needed Adam to come to the realization that Xander wasn’t right for him on his own.

 

“Nothing to be sorry about.  We both know he doesn’t like me.”  Tommy took Adam’s suitcase from Adam’s hand, hoping that signaled the end of their discussion.  The last thing he wanted to do was talk about Xander.  Unless, of course, Adam was opening up about his past with Xander, or to tell Tommy that they were over.  

 

Once down to Tommy’s car, Tommy loaded the suitcase into the backseat alongside his own and slid into the driver’s seat.  His car was nothing special, but it was comfortable, and that’s what mattered.  It had a large bench seat in the front.  He’d had his fair share of sexual encounters in the front seat of his car.  Bench seats were great for road head.  Tommy’s mind immediately went to images of Adam leaning over in the seat.  Tommy shook the thoughts from his head.

 

The men stopped and got a coffee to go as well as some bagels.  It was a long trip, but not long enough they would need to stop for lunch.  The bagels were a quick, filling breakfast, so the drive would be stop free.

 

Tommy had the GPS, so he knew exactly how to get to Adam’s grandfather’s home.  With the windows rolled down, and the radio playing the latest rock music, Tommy felt relaxed.  Adam chatted about his grandfather’s house and the things around town they would be able to partake in while he stroked Winston into a rat slumber.  The more Tommy listened, the more he became excited about seeing Adam’s childhood home.

Pulling up to the driveway of a small bungalow, Tommy took in the surroundings.  The house was a pale gray, with a porch that wrapped around the sides of the house.  There was a two-seat swing that hung from the ceiling.  The seat was covered in flowered fabric, faded and weathered.  There were also many pots around the porch that looked like they’d held green, lush plants at some moment in time.  Out in the yard, there was an old tire swing attached to a giant tree.  Like the fabric of the swing, the rubber looked weathered and worn.  Across the driveway sat a large garage.  It’s doors where big and white painted metal.  Tommy followed Adam up the steps and through the frame of the door.  He stopped just inside the door.

 

To his left was a wall with a door.  He soon realized it was a coat closet when Adam opened the door and kicked his shoes inside.  Tommy followed suit, toeing off his own shoes and placing them in the small closet.  To the right and center was a huge, open space.  At least it looked huge.  There was a living space toward the front.  A couch and two chairs sat in the middle of the room, while a tv sat on a wooden stand.  The tv was small and appeared to be an older model.  The couch and chairs were a dark brown, a contrast to the crisp white walls.  Pictures hung on the walls sporadically in a haphazard grouping, but Tommy found it oddly endearing.  It gave insight into Adam’s life before he’d moved to the Boardwalk.  

 

At the back of the large room was the kitchen.  It was separated from the rest of the room by a large island.  There were three bar stools lined up and pushed underneath the edge.  The walls were the same white, but absent were the pictures.  It was clean and simplistic.

 

“This is really nice,”  Tommy said, as he followed Adam through the short hallway just behind the coat closet.

 

“Thanks.  I know it needs some updating, but I’m just not ready to change it.  Maybe if I ever move back.”

 

Tommy stopped behind Adam as he opened the first of three doors.  “This is the bathroom.  Sorry there’s only one.”

 

“One bathroom.  Got it.”  Having one bathroom didn’t really bother Tommy.  He’d grown up in a house that only had one bathroom and a whole hell of a lot more people.  He knew how to share space.

 

“This door is my old room,”  Adam said, opening the next door.  Tommy peaked inside.  The room was painted in a light brownish tan with bright blue trim.  The bed was a full, with large fluffy pillows and a comforter that looked like it was filled with down.  Aside from the bright blue, that Tommy thought matched Adam’s eyes, the room was minimalistic like the kitchen.  Nothing hung on the walls, but there were pictures on all the surfaces.  “You can stay in here if you want.  The bed is more comfortable than my grandfather’s.”

 

“Sure.”  Tommy entered the room and dropped his bags onto the bed.  He turned and followed Adam down to the last door in the hall.

 

“And this is my grandfather’s old room.”  Tommy peered into the space.  Again, sparsely decorated like the rest of the house, but just as nice.  The thing that stuck out the most in the room was the giant tv mounted to the wall.  Tommy hadn’t expected such a nice electronic with the ancient tv in the living room.

 

“Nice tv.”

 

Adam smiled as if reminiscing.  “Yeah.  Teddy spent most of his time in here towards the end.  He liked his tv, so I bought him this for his birthday.”

 

“That’s really sweet,” Tommy said, squeezing Adam’s shoulder.

 

“If you want to watch movies or anything while we’re here, we’ll have to watch them in here.  The tv in the other room doesn’t work.”

 

Tommy thought of how great it would be to cuddle up in bed with Adam with some popcorn and corny B-rated movies.  Adam would hide in the nook of Tommy’s neck whenever something scary or boobs came on the screen.  It’d made Tommy laugh the first time they’d a movie marathon together.  Now he just found it endearing.

 

Once the grand tour was over, the men headed out into town.  The house was about five minutes outside of the center of town and was surrounded by woods.  It was pretty secluded. There were few other houses close by.  The town was as small as any town Tommy had ever seen.  The sign as they entered town said population two thousand, twenty-nine.  Every street had a small town feel to it, too.  Small shops lined  the streets. It only had one grocery store and one gas station.  There were no Walmarts or Costco’s, no mall or movie theater.  It did, however, have a video store which made Tommy happy since he never even thought of bringing movies with him.  It didn’t look like there was a lot to do in town, but as soon as the car stopped, Adam pulled Tommy out of the car and down the street.

 

“You have to try out the only restaurant.  They have the best burgers you’ll ever taste.”

 

“Better than Murphy’s?”

 

“They’re the reason I was a chunky kid.”

 

Tommy raised a brow.  “You never told me you were chunky.”

 

“Not my fondest memory.  At least I slimmed down with puberty.”

 

Knowing that Adam had been a chunky kid made the comments Xander had said about Adam’s weight burn a line of hatred right up his spine.  Xander had to go. Tommy just wasn’t sure it would ever happen.

 

_You can make him go away, Tommy.  You know what to do._

  
  
Tommy shook his head violently.  “Get out of my fucking head, Bella.”

 

Adam caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.  “Did you say something, Kitten?”

 

“No.”  Tommy thanked every possible deity in the universe that Adam hadn’t heard him.  He had no idea how he was going to explain Bella.  “Let’s go eat.”

 

Adam smiled and pulled Tommy towards the door.  “Get the peanut butter and jelly burger.  It’s to die for.”

 

As they sat and ate, they talked about nothing in particular.  Every once in a while, Adam would start a story that involved Xander and would stop mid sentence and change the subject.  Tommy was grateful that he didn’t want to talk about Xander, but at the same time Xander was such a huge part of Adam’s life that he was going to pop up in conversation.  Tommy would just have to get used to it.

 

_Xander will go away.  Just say the magic words._

 

Bella had been in Tommy’s head ever since they’d been in town.  The sadistic bitch had followed Tommy and was using every opportunity to torture Tommy.  She planted seed after seed in Tommy’s head so that for brief moments, his mind actually contemplated giving in and casting a spell that would rid Adam of Xander’s presence in his life.  Thankfully, as soon as the idea came, it subsided.  Tommy would not fall victim to Bella’s persuasion, no matter how hard she tried.

 

She would never get his soul.  

  
  
  



	20. Chapter 20

“I promise, it’s perfectly safe,”  Adam said, chuckling at the look of terror in Tommy’s soft brown eyes.  

 

“Says the man not on the death trap.”  After dinner, the men ventured around town.  Adam wanted to show Tommy all the things he’d liked to do as a kid.  Most of the activities involved the river that ran through town’s only park and the rickety old boat in which Tommy was currently seated.

 

“It’s not a death trap.  Now move over there.”

 

“I can’t move.”  Tommy was stiff from head to toe, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the boat with too much pressure.

 

“Then I can’t get in there and protect you,”  Adam said, trying to hide the laugh that threatened to escape his lips.

 

Tommy stared Adam down for a few brief seconds before begrudgingly and very slowly moving to the other wooden seat.  Adam gracefully stepped into the teetering boat and sat down on the seat that Tommy had reluctantly vacated.  He wasted no time, picking up an oar and pushing the boat away from the dock.  

 

Breathing erratically, Tommy watched with fear as they drifted with the current away from the shore.  Adam had picked up the other oar and was now rowing with the flow of the water.

 

“Calm down, Tommy.  Even if we fall in, you’ll be fine.  I mean you are wearing that, um, life vest.”  Adam couldn’t help but laugh.  Tommy had been so terrified of getting on the boat, that Adam had persuaded him with a life jacket.  Only problem had been that the only life jacket that had been available was a child’s.  It was red with some sort of child’s cartoon characters on it.

 

“Shut up.”

 

Laughing more, Adam rowed.  They passed several docks as they moved.  Some were empty with no sign of life, some had boats, and some had people all who waved at Tommy and Adam as they passed.  That had been the first thing Tommy had noticed about Adam’s hometown; everyone was friendly.  Tommy had to deal with assholes every day, so the kind personalities were a breath of fresh air.

 

After about a half an hour of rowing, Adam pulled the boat up to the shore.  The boat rocked when Adam stood up, causing him to try and stabilize it with one of the oars.  Adam held out his hand. Tommy slowing grabbed it and let Adam help him out of the boat.  Adam busied himself pulling the boat onto shore, while Tommy rid himself of the ridiculous life vest.

 

“Come on.  This way,”  Adam said, taking Tommy’s hand and pulling him forward.  The area was wooded; five feet from shore and the sun was almost completely blocked by the trees.  Small rays of light sliced through the openings.  They walked hand-in-hand through the foliage.  Tommy had never been the outdoorsy type.  He’d gone camping as a kid, but it was never something he enjoyed.  There had been too many bugs and not enough entertainment.  Walking with his fingers laced in Adam’s had Tommy thinking that maybe he just hadn’t had the right company.

 

After what felt like forever, the canopy of trees opened up into a large clearing.  Lush grass covered the ground with wild flowers blooming sporadically.  There was also a small private lake, a wooden dock protruding out into the water.  Behind it was a large, mansion-like house that looked out of place for the small town it was in.

 

“Jesus, Adam,”  Tommy said as he took in the beautiful surroundings.  

 

“I know,’  Adam answered, knowing what Tommy had been thinking.  “I used to come here all the time when I was a kid.  Sweet older couple live here.  They hadn’t been able to have kids of their own.  They kind of adopted most of the kids in town.”

 

“I wish I would have known.  I would have gladly given them a sister or two.”  The side of Tommy’s mouth pulled up into a lopsided grin.

 

“I’m sure they would have loved that.  Come on.”  Adam pulled Tommy along, wrapping around the lake towards the house.  The ground was soft under Tommy’s feet.  Not wet and soggy, but like it had been aerated recently.  He wondered what it would feel like under his bare feet.   They approached the house, coming to a stop outside the large, wooden double door.  Adam rapped his knuckles against the door in a quick succession, then stood back a waited.

 

“When I left, I promised Olivia and Jonathan that I would visit whenever I was back in town.”

 

Tommy nodded his head in understanding and waited with Adam for the door to be answered.  When the door was finally opened, in the doorway stood a woman Tommy assumed was Olivia.  She looked to be about sixty, with more salt than pepper in her hair.  She was small in stature, and her torso was plump and covered with a smudged apron.   If Tommy were to describe what he thought a grandmother should look like, Olivia fit the description perfectly.

 

“Oh, Adam, honey!  It’s been too long,”  Olivia cooed, placing her hands on Adam’s cheeks.  The smile on her face was bright and happy as she pulled him into a hug.  

 

Adam hugged her back with equal enthusiasm.  “Hey Livvy.”

 

Olivia released Adam and backed away.  “Look at you,”  she said giving him the once over.  “You get more handsome every time I see you.”

 

Adam laughed.  “You always say that.”

 

“Because it’s true.”

 

Smiling Adam turned to Tommy.  “Livvy, this is my best friend, Tommy.  Tommy, Livvy.  My surrogate grandmother.”

 

Tommy extended his hand.  “It’s nice to meet you, Olivia.”

 

Looking at his hand and back up to his eyes like he was crazy, Olivia stepped forward and embraced Tommy in a hug.  “Please, call me Livvy.”

 

Tommy awkwardly hugged Livvy back before both pulled away.  Livvy straightened her apron and gestured for Adam and Tommy to follow her into the house.  The inside was just as impressive as the outside had been.  The decor was warm with wooden walls and rich colored furniture.  It had a log cabin feel on the inside, whereas the outside was very modern.

 

On the wall next to the kitchen was a “school days” frame.  It held thirteen pictures, twelve smaller pictures wrapping around the large center one.  Each picture held a school picture of a child.   The first picture was of a child with big blue eyes, a cherub face, and a t-shirt that read “Kindergarten Bound.”  The third picture, showed a freckle faced second grader with a big hole where his front teeth should have been.  The pictures progressed as they went around, two things staying constant throughout the transformation, those brilliant blue eyes and the map of freckles that Tommy knew all too well.

 

“Oh god.  Please don’t look at that,”  Adam said as he noticed what Tommy had been looking at with a goofy smile on his face.

 

“You were so adorable.”  As Tommy studied the progression from child to young man, he couldn’t help but think of all the stories Adam had told him about his childhood.  The story about the fireflies in winter, Tommy could see the wonder in Adam’s eyes.  The story about driving in the rain, Tommy could picture Adam’s face in that tale as well.  He couldn’t help the curve that formed on his lips.

 

“What?”  Adam asked, still looking slightly embarrassed that Tommy was staring at his awkward transformation into the swan he’d become.

 

“You were adorable.”

 

Adam rolled his eyes and looked at the photographs of himself.  “No.  I was pudgy and awkward.”

 

“Like I said, adorable.”

 

Shaking his head in playful disagreement, Adam took Tommy’s hand and pulled him to the kitchen.  Livvy was already situated at the table with four bowls of what looked and smelled like homemade chicken and noodles, one at each place setting.  Tommy’s mouth watered at the smell.  It had been forever since he’d had homemade comfort food.  

 

“Jon will be down in a minute.  He’s been working on the dock all day.  Smelled like pond scum.  You’ll thank me for making him shower.”  Livvy laughed, and Adam joined in.  Tommy smiled, uncomfortable laughing at the scent of a man he’d yet to meet.

 

The three chatted while they waited on Jon to emerge from wherever he was in the house.  Adam filled Livvy in on what he’d been up to since he’d left and how he’d come to meet Tommy.  Livvy’s eyes were attentive and knowing as she asked Tommy questions about his life and his friendship with Adam.  The small facial expressions she made as they spoke led Tommy to believe his feelings for Adam weren’t as transparent as he’d thought.  

 

Soon, Jon rounded the corner into the kitchen and stopped when he saw Adam sitting at the table, sipping on a citrusy drink that Livvy’d made for everyone.  He smiled, walked over, and slapped Adam softly on the shoulder.  “Well look who it is.  Adam, my boy, how the hell have you been?”

 

Adam put his glass back on the table and stood to give the man a hug.  Jon appeared to be around the same age as Livvy, thought with a touch less silver in his hair.  He had deep green eyes that looked slightly enlarged due to the magnification of his glasses.  His face kind and weathered, like he’d spent most of his life outside in the sun.

 

“I’ve been wonderful, Jon.”

 

“That’s what I like to hear.”

 

Jon sat down at the empty chair and reached over to squeeze his wife’s hand.  They smiled lovingly at each other, before Jon released Livvy’s hand and took a long sip from his cup.  Adam introduced Tommy to Jon, as he’d done with Livvy.  Once the introductions were out of the way, the four began to feast on the homemade meal.

 

“So, Tommy, what do you do for a living?”

 

“I’m a street magician,”  Tommy answered.

 

“Adam, wasn’t your ex-boyfriend a magician?”  Jon asked in between bites of soup.

 

Adam looked at Tommy and then back at Jon.  Tommy was sure that look on his face matched the awkwardness on Adam’s.  They’d silently agreed not to bring Xander up in conversation, at least intentionally, but that wouldn’t stop others from mentioning him.  Tommy knew this, but it didn’t make the unintentional topic any easier to swallow.  Tommy looked down at his bowl and shoveled a spoonful into his mouth.

 

“Uh...yeah.  He’s not my ex though.  Not anymore.  We got back together when I moved.”

 

“Oh, Adam,”  Livvy said in a sad voice.  She must have known about Adam’s past with Xander.  Only someone who loved Adam and knew his sad tale would react with such a heavy heart.

 

An awkward silence fell upon the table after that, and everyone finished eating without conversation.  It felt weird sitting at a table with two people that had been such an important part of Adam’s life.  So important that he saw them as family, and confided his sad stories to them.  Tommy knew he was important to Adam, but the trust hadn’t been reestablished enough for Adam to confide his past to Tommy.  Or, because he was well aware of Tommy dislike of Xander, Adam chose not to give Tommy any more reason to despise his boyfriend.

 

With a very satisfied stomach, Tommy sat in the living room with Livvy, while Jon took Adam outside to look at all the improvements he’d been making around the property.  He felt awkward sitting alone with Adam’s surrogate grandmother.  The Adam that she knew was so different than the Adam he knew in enough ways.  It made Tommy wonder how much more there was to learn about the man he’d fallen in love with.  

 

“He’s so proud of his handiwork.  Every time Adam comes to visit, Jon has to show him all of his hard work.”

 

Tommy just nodded.  He didn’t know Jon, therefore he wasn’t sure what to say.  Instead of responding, Tommy looked out the window where Jon was animatedly telling Adam something about the shed he was currently pointing towards.  He watched Adam nod in agreement every so often, and respond.  Adam would laugh at something Jon had said, or his facial features would become thoughtful as they discussed something back and forth.  Adam was so full of insight and was a great listener.  One of Tommy’s favorite things had been the times they’d sit at Murphy’s and just talk.

 

“I see the way you look at him.”

 

Tommy, caught off guard by Livvy’s statement, turned to look at the women.  She was smiling at him tenderly with a knowing expression etched in the lines of her face.  “What?”  

 

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

 

“I…”  Tommy began, but wasn’t exactly sure how to respond.  He’d never told Adam he was in love with him, not directly anyway, so the idea of fessing up to a complete stranger who happened to be almost family to Adam seemed inappropriate.  He didn’t want Adam to find out from anyone but him.

 

“It’s okay.  You don’t have to answer that.  It’s obvious in the way you look at him.”  She looked out the window at her husband and Adam and sighed contently.  “Adam is like the son I never had.  He’s grown up into this beautiful young man, inside and out.  His heart is full of so much love, but his soul is broken,”  

 

Tommy’s face fell as he thought about what or rather who had broken his soul.  “I know.”  It was Tommy’s only response that would not give away too much information as to how he found out Adam’s secrets.

 

“He told you?”  Livvy asked, sounding surprised.  Her reaction gave Tommy the impression that not many people in Adam’s life knew what had happened to him.  That thought, along with everything else that had occurred in regards to Adam’s relationship with Xander, made Tommy hate Xander even more.

 

Tommy covered himself well when answering Livvy.  “No, but I sense it.  Though he seems so happy, I can tell something is off.  Something happened that makes him shield himself.”

 

Livvy suddenly leaned over the sofa and took Tommy’s hands in her own.  She locked him in an intense stare and had his full attention.  “Xander is bad for Adam, Tommy.  That man has done more to my boy than any person should have to suffer through.  God knows why he went back to him, but if you love him, you’ll make him see that Xander is not the one for him.”

 

Hidden in Livvy’s words was fear.  It was a fear for the boy she loved as her own son, for the boy that had been assaulted by the man who was supposed to love him.  

 

“He told me his grandfather foretold of Xander being the one,”  Tommy admitted truthfully.  Adam truly believed what his grandfather  said, not realizing that Tommy, the one that worshipped the ground Adam walked on, also carried the same qualities that had been envisioned.

 

Livvy rolled her eyes.  “Adam’s grandfather, though a wonderful man, was crazy.  Always saying he was told the future in riddles and images.  If Theodore told Adam that the sky was green, Adam would have believed him.”

 

“You don’t think Adam would see truth, at least now as an adult?”  Tommy mind was in sponge mode, absorbing as much about Adam as he could from the people who knew him best.  If Tommy were ever going to make Adam fall in love with him and leave Xander behind, he needed as much information as possible.

 

Laughing lightly, Livvy responded.  “I wish I could say that’s true, but you should have heard the stories he’d tell us when he was a boy.  His grandfather would tell him the most outlandish things, and Adam would swear that he witnessed it with his own eyes.  Adam would swear that his grandfather would make the sun come out when Adam wanted to play outside, but it was raining.  He used to claim that he saw his grandfather make things appear and disappear from thin air.  It was crazy, ridiculous things, but Adam believed every last one as if it were even possible.”

 

Tommy knew Teddy wasn’t crazy.  All the things that Adam had said happened, did in fact happen.  Tommy could even fathom the things that Teddy had made happen for the grandchild he raised.  Rich or poor, Adam probably grew up with everything he’d ever wanted with the exception of his parents.  There were only two things that witches couldn’t do: make someone fall in love and raise the dead.  He planned on giving Adam so much more.  Things he’d never realized he’d wanted until Tommy gave it to him, Adam would have everything and so much more.  If only he’d break free from Xander.

 

Looking out the window again, Tommy watched Adam as he continued on with his conversation with Jon.  He sighed as he made a promise to himself.  Adam would know the kind of love he deserved.  Come hell or high water, Adam would know love, and Tommy prayed to the universe that that love would be his.

 

 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long gap in between chapters. The holidays are super busy and my husband took three of the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas off of work. The chapters will come more regularly after the first of the year.

Tommy and Adam had spent the entire afternoon with Livvy and Jon, reliving every awkward moment of Adam’s childhood.  Tommy had gotten to hear Livvy retell how, at seven, Adam had been chased by a little girl named Sara.   Sara had a crush on Adam, and one day she chased him all over the neighborhood trying to kiss him.  Adam had fled to Livvy and Jon’s, but Sara had followed.  He’d been far enough away from her to be able to hide, but as he ran, he’d stepped in thick mud.  Adam had sunk down to above his knees and was trapped.  Little Sara had taken advantage of Adam’s incapacitated state and planted kisses all over his face as he cried.

 

“I found him stuck in the mud, with dirty little tear streaks down his face.  At first I thought he’d been seriously hurt, but then he told me what happened.”  Livvy smiled lovingly at Adam who looked mortified.

 

“I wasn’t crying.  I’d been attacked.”

 

“Oh, Adam.  Always so dramatic,” Livvy said as she took Adam’s hand in hers and squeezed.  She smiled an adoring smile at her adopted grandson, then turned back to Tommy.  “Anyway, Jon pulled him out of the mud.  We ran him a nice hot bath and stuffed him full of food.”

 

“Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, if I remember correctly,”  Adam said, a shy embarrassed smile on his face.  Tommy loved the flush in his cheeks that had stayed through the entire story.

 

“That’s right!  You gobbled that dinner right up.  From then on, I always made sure to invite you over every time I made it.”

 

They told more stories as Tommy listened in fascination until it was past dark.  Tommy immediately became uneasy when Adam mentioned that they had to leave.  It was dark, and there was no way he’d make it on that boat without having a panic attack.  It’d been bad enough being on it in the daylight.  

 

As if sensing Tommy’s unease, Adam whispered something to Livvy and Jon before turning and taking Tommy’s hand.  Adam said his goodbyes, and headed with Tommy in tow to the door.  Once outside, Adam turned and met Tommy’s anxious eyes.  

 

“Don’t worry; I’m not going to make you get on the boat in the dark.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

They walked side by side to the edge of the property, and stopped.  Adam had produced a flashlight at some point in time.  Tommy wasn’t sure where he’d gotten it from, but he was grateful.  It was beyond dark.  The only light was the flashlight and the moon, but the moon was now hidden by the trees.  Looking around at what Adam was searching for, his eyes landed on the spot the flashlight had stopped on.  Up in the canopy of trees was a little old treehouse.  Tommy looked at Adam, one of his eyebrows cocked up.

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me?”

 

“What?  It’s safe.  I promise.”

 

Not waiting for Tommy to respond, Adam grabbed Tommy’s hand and headed to the base of the tree.  Tommy looked up.  It wasn’t too high up and looked to still be in good condition.  His initial fear of falling to his death from the floor caving in quickly dissipated.  He looked at Adam and then back at the treehouse.

 

“I’ve never slept in a treehouse before.”

 

“Then I’m glad I get to be the one who gets to do it with you.”

 

Tommy giggled.  Oh if only Adam would do “it” with him.

 

Adam looked at Tommy in confusion for a few moments before it dawned on him what Tommy had been laughing at.  He rolled his eyes, took Tommy’s hand and yanked him towards the tree.  “Stop being twelve and give me your foot.  I’ll boost you up.”

 

Tommy, still laughing, did as Adam said and put his foot into Adam’s cupped hands.  Adam lifted him up until Tommy could reach the lowest brand and hike himself up.  He climbed two more branches before he was able to reach the treehouse.  Before entering, he leaned over and looked down to the ground.  Adam was at the base of the tree, shining the flashlight up towards Tommy.

 

“How are you going to get up here?”

 

“I’m significantly taller than you.  I can reach the low branch if I jump.”

 

With that, Adam jumped, grabbed the branch, and began to pull himself up.  For being such a tall and solid man, Adam climbed up the tree with the a certain amount of grace that Tommy would have expected to see in a dancer, not a rock climber.  Or in Adam’s case, a tree climber.  With what seemed like only three quick movements, Adam was at Tommy’s side.

 

“See that wasn’t so bad.  Now, climb through the window.”

 

Tommy did as he was instructed, and entered the treehouse through the window.  As his hands hit the floor, he pulled himself completely through and moved off to the side so Adam could follow.  Adam tossed the flashlight into the window, before he came in.  This gave Tommy the opportunity to look around.  The treehouse was small, but larger than the ones he’d played in during his youth.  Its four walls were decorated in a child’s graffiti, and the floors had been...cleaned?  Tommy took the flashlight and looked around more closely.  Indeed the floors had been cleaned.  Along with that, there was a lantern, a small cooler, and blankets with pillows. Tommy turned the flashlight towards Adam in question.

 

Adam looked at Tommy sheepishly.  “Um...yeah.  So, since I was showing you all the things from my childhood, I thought I’d show you where I spent a significant chunk of my life.”

 

“When did you have time to do this?”

 

“While I was out with Jon.  I told him that I was introducing you to small town life, and he’d mentioned the treehouse.  Since I knew we’d never make it back to the boat before dark, and I didn’t think you’d be comfortable staying at the house, I thought this would work,”  Adam said, looking over the treehouse.  “I brought blankets, and pillows.  I even brought some snacks and things.  We can go back to the house, though.  If that’s what you want.”

 

Tommy looked around again, taking in all the surroundings.  Adam had put quite a bit of thought into staying with Tommy in his childhood treehouse.  If Xander wasn’t biting at the back of his thoughts, Tommy would have believed that Adam was being romantic.  Too bad Tommy knew what was up with that whole situation.  Adam was with Xander.  Nothing would change that until Adam himself changed it, and he’d never given any reason to make Tommy believe that Adam wanted change.

 

With a sigh, Tommy replied, “It’s perfect.”

 

The smile that crossed Adam’s face could have illuminated the entire space.  The happiness on his face was undeniable, and Tommy smiled to himself knowing that he’d put it on Adam’s beautiful face.

 

“So, I figured,”  Adam said as he shuffled across the small room and began laying out their makeshift space.  Instead of laying out two sleeping bags, Adam unzipped both, laying one on top of the other.  He then proceeded to lay the remaining three blankets on top of the sleeping bags before tossing the pillows side by side.  “I hope that’s enough to make the floor comfortable.”

 

Tommy looked at the blankets on the floor with the side by side pillows, and his throat tightened.  His tongue felt thick, and the air in his lungs began to come in shallow and erratic gasps.  Sure, he’d slept with Adam before, but on a couch when they’d fallen asleep watching movies.  It was never on a bed and never planned.

 

“I can change it to two separate spaces if you’re uncomfortable.  I just thought it would be a little softer this way,”  Adam said, sensing Tommy’s apprehension.

 

“No, it’s okay.”  To show that he was okay with the sleeping arrangements, Tommy crawled over to one side of the blankets and laid down on the pillow.  He rolled over on his side to face Adam.  “You figured what?”

 

Adam watched Tommy for a moment before taking his place on the other pillow.  He was laying on his side, mimicking Tommy’s position.  “I figured we could talk.”

 

“About what?”

 

“Life, the stars, I don’t care, really,”  Adam said.  He reached over and brushed a small strand of hair that had fallen into Tommy’s face.  Adam tucked it behind Tommy’s ear, his fingertips brushing lightly across Tommy’s forehead, down the corner of his eye and across his cheekbone.  It took everything in him not to moan at the touch.

 

Tommy’s insides clenched at Adam’s touch.  They always did, but this touch was different, tender and caring in a way Adam hadn’t been with him before.  Tommy wondered if Adam even realized he was doing it.  Tommy met Adam’s eyes.  Tommy sensed something lingering just below the surface, but couldn’t put his finger on it.  Adam was an enigma most of the time, and when he became introspective, he was entirely impossible to read.  Tommy knew a lot about Adam, but what he really wanted to know was his mind.  What went on in that head of his when he became quiet and his eyes became distant?

 

“What are you thinking?”  Tommy asked, hoping to break through to Adam’s inner thoughts.

 

Staring into Tommy’s eyes, it took a few moments for Adam to answer.  Tommy could sense a sort of internal conflict.  Adam was debating inside his head what he wanted to say to Tommy, what he wanted to open up about.  It wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling.  Many times over the months that they’d known each other, Tommy has gotten the impression that Adam wanted to say more than he ever actually did.  Tommy decided that tonight would be the night he’d get Adam to open up.

 

Adam took a deep breath, held it a few seconds before exhaling slowly.  “I was thinking about Xander.”

 

Tommy’s heart fell.  Of all the things he’d thought Adam may be twisting in that head of his, Xander was the last person Tommy wanted Adam to be thinking about.  He began to feel anger, jealousy, and above all of it, hurt.  He was angry that Xander always found a way to interrupt his time with Adam, whether it be his physical presence or his presence in Adam’s thoughts.  He was jealous, because no matter how much time Tommy spent with Adam, how close they were, Adam always went home to Xander.  And Tommy was hurt.  His heart ached, a slow dull stabbing through his veins everyday that he spent loving Adam with every fiber that held his heart together.

 

With hesitation, Tommy asked the question he was dreading.  “What about Xander?”  He tried to keep his voice steady, but it cracked with Xander’s name.

 

Adam rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.  “How I’ve never brought him here.  How he never wanted to come.”

 

“You invited him here?  To meet Livvy and Jon?”

 

Adam sighed.  “Yeah.  Several years ago, when we dated the first time.  He lived in the next town over, so he didn’t know Livvy and Jon.  It’d been about a year into our relationship.  I told him I had a surprise for him.  He acted…”  Adam trailed off, turning his face completely away from Tommy, like he didn’t want Tommy to see the emotion in his eyes.

 

“He acted what?”

 

After a few silent moments, Adam answered.  “He acted like he wasn’t interested.”

 

The anger boiled inside Tommy.  Here was this beautiful, perfect man lying beside him.  A man full of love and spirit, but he never showed it due to this one asshole that for some reason has a hold on his life.  Determined to finally get Adam to open up about his past and talk about what Xander did to him, Tommy reached over and gently turned Adam’s head back to face him.  Tommy’s hand cupped Adam cheek, and he felt the heat of Adam’s skin radiate through his own.

 

“What happened, Adam.  You can tell me.”

 

Adam tried to turn away from Tommy again, but Tommy held him in place.  Adam tried again, putting force into trying to turn his head, but quickly gave up when he realized Tommy wasn’t going to budge.  Adam sighed again in defeat and began his story.

 

“Xander was wonderful at first.  Perfect.  We’d met at a football game.  Homecoming to be exact.  It was my senior year of high school.  I was still trying to hide, so I was dating a girl on the dance team.  She apparently wasn’t very good cover, because Xander had me pegged instantly.  After the game, I was out by my car waiting for Katie when he approached me.  He was an older boy who had every boy and girl at the game drooling as he passed but looked at me like I was the only person around.  How could I not be hooked.”

 

Tommy thought of a teenage Adam.  From the pictures on Livvy and Jon’s wall, Tommy knew Adam had been an awkward teen, unknowingly breathtaking, but awkward nonetheless.  He could see the light in Adam’s eyes as he looked at the boy who was so interested in him.  At times, he’d thought he’d seen Adam look at him with the same light in his eyes.  “Go on.”

 

“He asked me out.  I broke up with Katie.  For the first few months, he made me feel amazing, loved in a way that I’d never felt before.  I gave him my virginity.  Everything was perfect until…” Adam trailed off, closing his eyes as if remembering something painful.  

 

Tommy knew what he was remembering, and it took everything in him to pretend he didn’t already know the ugly truth about Xander.  “What happened, Adam?”

 

Adam stayed silent for several minutes.  His was still facing Tommy, though his eyes were closed.  His forehead was pulled tight, his face in a grimace as if he were in pain.  He was in pain, but the kind that was much worse than any physical pain one could endure.   Eventually, he began his story again.  “He became distant.  He lied.  I thought he was cheating on me, and in a way he kinda was.”

 

“What did he do?”  Tommy asked, though he knew the answer.

 

“He was on drugs.  Hardcore drugs.  He’d choose any drug over me, everytime.  When I finally found out about the drug use, I didn’t realize just how hooked he was.  I thought it was recreational, something he did with his other friends but didn’t want me to be a part of.  When he blew me off the day I wanted him to meet Livvy and Jon, it was the last straw. I couldn’t take being ignored anymore.”

 

“You broke up with him?”  It sounded so lame coming from his lips, but Tommy had to act normal, like he didn’t know anything.  Adam was giving him more detail than Adam’s grandfather had, but it still didn’t make the outcome different.

 

Adam laughed a self deprecating laugh that simultaneously broke Tommy’s heart and made him want to go on a murderous hunt for one blond haired, asshole, former junkie. “No.  I didn’t break up with him.  No, I begged him to let me go with him when he left that night.  He’d told me no so many times, but I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.  Finally he relented, and I got to meet his “friends” for the first time.”

 

“And by friends, you mean-”

 

“Drugs.  Lots and lots of drugs.  Stupid me, instead of running in the other direction, I told him I wanted to know what it was like.  What was so much better about being high than being with me.”

 

“Oh, Adam,”  Tommy said as the pain ripped across Adam’s face.  He was telling Tommy.  It’s what Tommy had wanted, but the pain in Adam’s eyes, that was systematically taking over his person, was devastating to Tommy’s heart.

 

Adam squeezed his eyes shut, a single tear slipping out and running down into his hair.  Tommy took the pad of his thumb and wiped the trail of wetness away.  Adam opened his eyes at Tommy’s touch and continued on with his sad story.  “I learned the hard way what drugs can do to a person.  I did a few lines of coke and popped way too much ecstasy.  I don’t remember a lot, but I remember…”  He trailed off again. This time there were hot wet tears running down and soaking the blanket between them.

 

“Oh, God.  Adam, baby, stop.  Please.  You don’t have to say anymore.”  Tommy leaned forward and wrapped an arm around Adam’s back, holding on as tight as he could.  He knew the story.  He knew how awful it had been, but hearing it come from Adam’s lips was almost too much to bear.  It was as if he were right there living the nightmare with Adam.  The tears welled up in Tommy’s eyes.  He tried to hold them back, but his heart was breaking.

 

They stayed that way, embracing as if they were holding on for dear life, until finally Adam pulled away.  He let Tommy wipe his tear streaked face before he continued.  “I’ve never told anyone this.  Well, I told my grandfather and Livvy, but never with this much detail.  You’re the only one I trust with it.”

 

“You know you can always trust me, Adam.”

 

Adam nodded and his next words gutted Tommy to his very core. “I remember being passed around.  Person after person.  There were six men there, not including Xander and myself.  Six faces etched forever in my brain.”

 

Tommy couldn’t breathe.  It had been so much worse than he imagined.  So much worse, and the story wasn’t even over.  “Oh, Adam.”

 

“Six of them!  One after the other.  Once the last one was finished, the first one started again.  I was so drugged up that my limbs wouldn’t move, I tried to say no, to stop them, but my voice wouldn’t work.  All the while, Xander was in the background cheering them on and telling them what a good fuck I was.”  Adam stopped.  He was sobbing now.  Ugly crying in a way Tommy had never seen before, and never wanted to see again.  

 

Tommy sat up.  He reached over to Adam and pulled him the best he could over to his lap.  Adam got the hint, and situated himself.  He was curled up into a ball, with his head on Tommy’s lap.  His face was nestled into Tommy’s belly.  Tommy stroked the strands of Adam’s hair as he cried out years of pent up, hidden pain.  It all made sense now.   Because of Xander, Adam was broken, self-loathing, and on some very important level, self-hating.  He didn’t have to say it, Tommy knew by the tone of Adam’s voice and his demeanor while retelling the hell he’d lived through that Adam felt unworthy, unlovable.  He’d thought he was damaged goods and only Xander would accept what had happened to him.

 

Tommy’s blood boiled with fire he’d never felt before.  A rage licked it’s way up his spine, causing his limbs to shake.  All his life, he’d thought Bellaepharent was the most evil creature he’d ever known.  He’d been wrong.  It was Xander.  Anyone who would let what happened to Adam happen to someone they claimed to love was the worst kind of evil.  Xander deserved everything that happened to Adam, tenfold.

 

As Adam cried himself to sleep on Tommy’s lap, Tommy heard the ramblings of Bella in his head.  You know what to do.  End this.  End it.  For you and for Adam.

 

_**I wasn’t there to protect him.  I wasn’t there to ebb his anger.  By the time I got there, it was too late.  Cradling Adam in his lap, Tommy whispered the words that would seal his fate, as I heard Bellaepharent’s victorious cackle in the distance.** _

  
  



	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaack!!! ;)

Tommy hadn’t gotten much sleep that night.  He’d stayed awake for most of the night, watching Adam and running his fingers through the other man’s hair.  Adam never woke, but Tommy had been able to sense Adam’s calm whenever his fingers touched Adam’s head.  He’d finally fallen asleep as the sun had begun to rise, only to be woken up a short time later by Adam maneuvering himself off of Tommy’s lap.

 

Sitting up, Adam looked at Tommy with apprehension.  The look on Adam’s face was a silent plea.   _ Please don’t think less of me.   _ Tommy would never think less of Adam for something someone else had caused.  The sad, scared look on Adam’s face just confirmed what Tommy already felt.  That he’d done the right thing.  One black smudge was worth it giving Adam some type of justice, even if he’d never know it.  Adam was worth it.

 

**_What did Tommy do, you ask?  Let’s just say that six very unknowing men found out what it was like to be Adam that night.  The spell Tommy cast out into the night had each and every one of the men dreaming about what it was like to be drugged, incapacitated, and unable to say no while being raped by multiple men.  He made sure that the dream they shared was the kind that one not only saw, but felt as well._ **

 

Trying to ease Adam’s fears, without bringing the whole horrible subject up again, Tommy brushed a stray hair from in front of Adam’s eyes and simply said, “Good morning.”

 

Adam hesitated for a moment, before smiling.  Adam first thing in the morning through Tommy’s mirror, was a sight to be seen.  Adam first thing in the morning in person, was breathtaking. “Good morning to you, too, Kitten.”

 

Tommy rolled his eyes and shoved Adam’s shoulder playfully.  At first he hadn’t liked the endearing name Adam had came up with for him, but now he sort of loved it.  “What’s on the menu this morning?”

 

Looking around, Adam spotted the bag of goodies he’d brought with him the night before.  He rummaged through his bag and pulled out two granola bars.  “Will this do?”

 

“Looks delicious,”  Tommy said, taking the offered granola and ripping open the package.  He felt famished.  

 

Adam followed suit, and they ate in silence.  Tommy smiled at Adam between bites, but his head was buzzing loudly.  He couldn’t stop thinking about last night - Adam’s confession, Tommy’s own momentary lapse in self control.  Casting that spell was a big deal, and he knew it.  Bella would be all over it as soon as she figured out that Tommy’s aura had developed a smudge.  It would make it that much easier for her to get to him, so he had to be sure he was level headed at all times.  There was no way Bella was getting his soul.  Not now.  Not ever. 

 

Once finished with the granola, an awkward silence set in, not at all comfortable as it had been moments before.  Adam looked away from Tommy bashfully, as if he was embarrassed.  Tommy smiled but was at a loss for words.  There was no mistaking the elephant in the room.  Tommy didn’t dare bring up the conversation from last night.  If Adam wanted to talk about it, he would.  Tommy wasn’t about to add to Adam’s awkwardness.

 

“We’d better get back,”  Adam said, clearing his throat as if the words were stuck in the back of a dry, unused tongue.  He stood up, stuffing the granola wrapper into his pocket.  He dusted off his jeans and held out a hand to help Tommy up.

 

Tommy accepted the warmth of Adam’s hand and allowed himself to be hoisted up.  He also took a moment to brush himself off before gathering up all their stuff and making their way back down to solid ground.

 

The sun was already hot and bright in the sky.  If Tommy had to guess, he’d say it was almost noon.  Mother nature was loud and soothing, even though Tommy would much rather be anywhere but in the middle of the woods.  The woods led to the boat, and Tommy had no desire to ever get in that damn boat again.

 

The trek back to the boat didn’t feel as long as the trek to the house had.  They were back at the water’s edge in what felt like minutes.  Tommy’s nerves grew as Adam helped him into the life vest and guided him to the wooden bench inside the boat.  Adam followed Tommy, sitting down on the center bench, and pushing the boat away from the shore.  Tommy held onto the sides of the boat like a vice grip, begging himself to calm down.

 

“I promise, Tommy.  It’s perfectly safe.”

 

“You’ve said that already, and I don’t believe it,”  Tommy said with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest for effect.

 

“You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

 

“What if we capsize?  The undercurrent will pull me away faster than you’d be able to get to me.  What about leeches?  Piranhas?”

 

Adam laughed from his belly.  “There are no piranhas in the river.”

 

“But there  _ are  _ leeches.”

 

Adam smiled, large and bright, and Tommy couldn’t help but smile back.  No matter his irrational fear of the little boat, he’d face any fear in the world if it meant seeing that happy smile on Adam’s face.  

 

“Oh, kitten.  What am I going to do with you?”  Adam asked, all signs of the previous night gone from his features.

 

_ Love me,  _ Tommy said to himself.  It was the small declarations and thoughts that made Tommy glad that Winston was not able to hear his thoughts.  Having a familiar took away much of his privacy, but some things were to personal to share.  He’d keep his secrets as well as his thoughts locked away tight.  Unless Adam wanted him to bear his soul.  Tommy wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep anything from Adam, especially if he asked. 

 

Coming out of his private thoughts, Tommy looked at his surroundings.  Adam had stopped paddling, and was dropping a small anchor into the water.  “What the hell are you doing?”  Tommy asked, his eyes huge with disbelief.  Why was Adam stopping the boat when he knew Tommy was terrified of it?

 

Adam centered himself back on the bench.  He leaned in and placed his elbows on his knees.  The intent stare he focused on Tommy made his cheeks hot.  Tommy was sure he was blushing.  It was his turn to feel awkward.  Adam’s stare was both enchanting and haunting.  Tommy shifted on his seat, his eyes caught and focused on Adam’s entrapping gaze.

 

“Thank you,”  Adam said, surprising Tommy.

 

Tommy shifted again.  “For what?”

 

“For last night.”

 

Tommy didn’t know what to say.  He’d give Adam the world if he could, and take away every pain he’d ever felt.  Sadly, he couldn’t.  At least not without damning his soul to Bella, because any good fortune to Adam would be a selfish gain for Tommy, as well.  He’d just have to be satisfied with what he had. 

 

“You don’t have to thank me, Adam.”

 

“Yes, I do,”  Adam leaned over farther, taking Tommy’s hands in his.  “I unloaded heavy, heavy shit on you last night.”

 

“That’s what friend’s do.”

 

“I know, but I’ve never said any of that out loud before.  I was terrified this morning that you’d run in the other direction as fast as you your legs would take you.”

 

Tommy squeezed Adam’s large hands and rubbed his thumbs in small circles. “Adam, I told you I’d never run again. I’m here for you always, for whatever you need to unload on me.”

 

Adam smiled, not as brightly as he’d done earlier, but it was genuine.  He let go of Tommy’s hands and leaned over to pull the anchor back up into the boat.  Tommy loved that things were getting real in that moment. It meant that Adam really did care, deeper than maybe he even realized.  However, Tommy couldn’t dwell on that at the moment.  The boat had begun to teeter as Adam pulled the long chain.

 

“Maybe you should just leave that.”

 

Adam laughed and rolled his eyes.  “I can’t leave the anchor.”

 

“But we don’t really need it do we?”

 

“The boat won’t move with it in the water, kitten.”

 

Tommy again huffed like a bratty child.  “Well hurry up then.  I can feel years being taken off my life with each goddamn rock.”

 

Still laughing, Adam continued to pull up the anchor.  Tommy watched the muscles in Adam’s arms push and pull as he meticulously hauled the heavy object out of the water.  As it broke the surface, Adam leaned over the side of the boat to grab the metal.  The boat teetered, causing Adam to lose his balance.  He staggered back. lost his balance and went crashing over the side of the boat, capsizing it, and taking everything into the water with him.  Including Tommy.

 

Tommy half screamed, half yelled as he tumbled into the water.  The life vest kept him from submerging completely. However, seeing Adam standing with his shoulders above the water made Tommy feel like a child with a floaty.  Wiping the water from his face, Tommy shot Adam what he meant to be a death glare, but instead, it had Adam again rolling with belly laughs.

 

“This is your fault,”  Tommy whined grumpily.  The life vest held him afloat just enough that his feet didn’t touch the rocky bottom, causing him to have to tread water to prevent himself from drifting away.  

 

Still laughing, Adam stretched his arms out for Tommy to grab.  Without a word, Tommy locked hands with Adam and let himself be pulled back to the capsized boat.  “Here.  Hold on to the boat”

 

Tommy did as he was told and grabbed the wooden side.  They were both slowly drifting together now, Adam grabbing their displaced items as they moved.

 

“You see right there?”  Adam asked, pointing to the shore just up ahead.  “We can use that small bank to right the boat and get moving again.”

 

“Uh...no.  I am not getting back in that.”

 

“How are we supposed to get back home?”

 

“Walk.”

 

Adam just laughed again.  “We can’t walk.  It’s too far to have to carry a boat.”

 

“You promised nothing bad would happen,”  Tommy huffed, beads of water dripping down the sides of his neck. 

 

“Yes, I did.  And nothing bad has happened.”

 

“I almost died!”

 

Now Adam was really laughing.  “No you didn’t.”

 

“Did.”

 

Tugging in the direction of the shore, Adam pulled the boat and Tommy to solid ground.  Tommy lunged for the dry land as if he’d been at sea for ages.  He threw himself on the ground, rolling around dramatically as if he really had just escaped death.

 

“Look at my little kitten,”  Adam said.  He’d just finished flipping the boat and was now squatting in front of Tommy, who was lying flat on his back, breathing steadily and looking up at the clear sky.  “You look like a drowned rat.”

 

Tommy looked up at the mention of a rat.  Where the hell was Rat?  Always the investigator and watchman, they’d separated before Adam had met Livvy and Jon. Winston had been quiet, giving Tommy the privacy he needed with Adam, only popping into Tommy’s head with an all clear every now and then.  “Rat?”  Tommy said, sitting up swiftly.

 

Adam looked out into the water.  “I didn’t know you brought Rat.”

 

“I-”  Tommy cut himself off.  Of course Adam didn’t know that he’d hidden Rat away in the shadows of their adventure.  Rat was just a pet, as far as Adam’s knowledge went.  Yes, Adam got the idea that Rat was more than a pet, at least figuratively, but Tommy understood that normal people didn’t bring their pet rat with them on boat trips.

 

**I’m right here, Tommy.  It’s okay.**

 

Tommy breathed a sigh of relief.  “I didn’t.  I’m just so used to bringing him everywhere.  He’s at the house, probably shitting on your furniture.”

 

**Really?  After all I’ve done for you.**

 

Tommy smirked to himself.  Not being able to talk to Winston directly, he decided to poke at his familiar a bit.  “Or your shoes.”

 

**That was one time!  You fed me beer!**

 

Adam shook his head in amusement.  “I think Winston is a lot more refined than you give him credit for.”

 

“Refined?”  Tommy questioned. “That rat has blinded you.”

 

**With my awesomeness.**

 

“He’s a pain in the ass rodent.”

 

“He’s adorable.”

 

**I know who I’m sleeping with tonight.**

 

“You’ll change your tune when you wake up to rat pellets on your pillow.”

 

**Hey!  You deserved that!  I had to listen to your sexcapades.**

 

Rolling his eyes at the conversation going on in his head, Tommy got up off the ground and moved to where Adam was putting their stuff back into the boat.  “We should get moving.”

 

Adam smiled, turning his head so that Tommy could see the corner of Adam’s eyes twinkle with mischief.  “I thought you were walking?”

 

“Just promise me we won’t end up in the water this time...and mean it.”

 

“I promise we won’t end up in the water.”

 

Tommy nodded his head and climbed into the boat.  Rat was so getting it.  The good thing about being a witch?  You didn’t get smudged by casting spells on your familiar, and payback’s an evil whore.

 

Pushing off the bank again, Adam sat on the center bench as the current began to pull the boat back downstream.  Tommy sat facing Adam, watching the back and forth movements as he rowed them towards home.  It’d been a long twenty-four hours, and Tommy was ready for a nice, long, hot shower.  And maybe a nap.

  
  
  
  



	23. Chapter 23

As promised, Adam got Tommy back home without another dip in the water.  They’d split ways once they returned to the house, Adam going left to his room and Tommy going right to the guest bathroom.  Tommy spent extra time in the shower, not only to wash away the disgusting smelling river water, but to collect his thoughts.  He’d been internally reeling since Adam admitted what had happened to him at the hands of a man who was supposed to love him, a man that, for whatever incomprehensible reason, Adam had taken back.  Not only did he take the asshole back, but he was loyal to a fault.  Tommy just didn’t understand it.  Adam was a beautiful, wild, free soul when he was with Tommy.  When he was with Xander, the few times Tommy had been around both of them together, Adam had looked almost sad.  The fire that Tommy loved so much, snuffed out by Xander’s presence.  

 

It made Tommy angry just thinking about it.  If only he could make Adam see how unhappy he really was, then maybe, just maybe, Adam would ditch the loser and see how much Tommy loved and adored him.  

 

Sadly, Tommy wasn’t stupid.  He knew sure and well that playing fair wasn’t going to break Adam away from Xander.  He’d already been trying and failing.  Letting his head fall back onto the cool tiles, Tommy let out a long, loud, sigh.  The water was beginning to run cold, and he was no closer to working his frustration and heightened feeling out of his system.  He needed a release, or his anger and longing were going to eat him alive.

 

Reaching down, he began to do the only thing he could think of to relieve this stress.  He took himself into his hand and stroked gently.  He let out a sharp breath, feeling the heat of his cock in his hand mix with the coolness of the water on his skin.  Tommy pumped again, this time letting the roughness of his hand tug and pull as it slid up and down his now fully erect shaft.  He moaned a little too loudly as he worked himself towards a climax.

 

The only visions in his head as he pleasured himself were of Adam.  One stroke, Tommy pictured Adam’s smile and the pure unfiltered happiness that crept through his features when he was with Tommy.  Another stroke, and Tommy thought of Adam’s hands and how they felt when he gave Tommy his amazing massages.  Stroke after stroke, he pictured different things about Adam, all of which fueled his way to release.  The thought that tripped him over the edge was the look on Adam's’ face as he himself climaxed while gripping the amulet Tommy had given him.  That was all it took for Tommy to cry out and release all of his emotions down the drain with the ice cold water. 

 

~

 

Tommy sat at the kitchen table waiting for Adam to finish his shower.  Tommy had spent so much time in the bathroom himself, he’d figured Adam would be waiting on him, but it was the opposite.  Adam hadn’t emerged from his room, and Tommy had already been in the kitchen for over fifteen minutes.  The curiosity got the better of him, and he flipped on his little personal all-Adam television.  As he looked into the face of his watch, Tommy saw Adam sitting on edge of the bed, a towel still wrapped around his waist, and his head in his hands.  Tommy instantly felt a twitch in the back of his head.  He hated seeing Adam distraught.  He watched as Adam sat still, the only movement coming from an intermittent shake of his shoulders.  He was crying.  Without thinking, Tommy crossed the room, stopping in front of Adam’s closed door.  He knocked softly, and waited for an answer.

 

“Just a minute,”  Adam called from inside.  His voice was harsh and raspy.

 

“I’m coming in,”  Tommy said, not waiting for a protest before he opened the door.

 

As the door cracked open, Tommy watched Adam turn his head as far away from Tommy as he was able.  “I told you I’d be just a minute.”  He was trying to pull off his little con, but Tommy was having none of it.  He crossed the room, coming to a stop in front of Adam.  Adam tried to look away.  He tried to turn his body away, but Tommy grabbed hold of Adam's knees and lowered himself to the floor at his feet.

 

“Please,”  Adam pleaded with a choked breath.  He was trying too damn hard to hide the fact that he was an emotional mess, but failed miserably.  Tommy reached up and cupped Adam’s jaw, gently turning his head until he was looking at Tommy.  His breathing stuttered as he tried to hold back his tears.

 

“Hey,”  Tommy said, stroking this thumb gently across Adam’s jaw.  “It’s okay.”

 

Adam stared into Tommy’s eyes for long, drawn-out seconds before he collapsed into Tommy’s open, inviting arms.  Tommy wrapped his arms tightly around Adam’s waist as the broken man cried into the side of Tommy’s neck.  He felt Adam’s hot tears stream down his neck and wet the collar of his shirt.  

 

They stayed like that, Tommy on his knees, wrapped around Adam’s quaking body, until Adam’s breathing evened and his sobs subsided.  Adam’s current state was breaking Tommy’s heart.  He didn’t know what to say to make Adam’s smile return.  He didn’t even know if the tears were caused by Xander, himself, or something entirely different.

 

Lifting his head from the nook of Tommy’s neck, Adam wiped his swollen eyes and sat back, a look of shame on his face.  “I’m sorry.”

 

Tommy’s face softened.  Adam had nothing to be sorry for.  “For what?”  he inquired.

 

Sniffing, Adam answered.  “For being a mess.  For bringing you into my mess.”

 

“I want to be in your mess.”

 

Adam gave a self deprecating laugh, not picking up on Tommy’s underlying meaning.  “How can you even look at me?  I’m...I’m…”  Adam trailed off, his head falling back into his hands.

 

“Perfect.”

 

Adam looked up, a look of disbelief on his face. “I’m fucked up, Tommy.  Damaged.  Disgusting.”

 

“Adam, you are not disgusting.  Far from it.”

 

“I let my boyfriend use me as a fuck toy for his friends.  Who does that?  Who?”  Adam started to sob again.

 

Tommy cupped Adam’s face in his hands, forcing Adam to look into his eyes.  Tears, swollen eyes, or not, Adam was going to listen to what Tommy had to say.  No more of the bullshit.  It was time to get real.

 

“Why do you stay with him?”

 

“Tommy, please.”

 

“No, Adam.  Why?  Why do you stay with that asshole?  He doesn’t deserve you.”

 

“You don’t understand.”

 

“You’re right; I don’t,”  Tommy said, holding tighter to Adam’s face as Adam tried to pull away.  Tommy was getting pissed off.  Not at Adam, but at Xander.  Every Time Adam opened his mouth, more and more of the damage Xander’s betrayal caused comes leaking out.  “I don’t understand why you would go back to a man that abused you, let alone stay with him.”

 

“Because I have to.”

 

What?  What the hell did he mean, he had to?  “Did he threaten you?”  Tommy asked, his spine beginning to tingle with rage. 

 

“No, no he didn’t, but…”  Adam trailed off again.  He tried to turn away from Tommy again, but Tommy held firm.  Adam wasn’t getting out of this conversation.  Not after all he’d already trusted Tommy enough to share.  It was soul-baring time.

 

“But what?”

 

“He’s my destiny.  My grandfather-”

 

“Your grandfather did not mean Xander.”  Tommy damn well knew who Adam’ grandfather meant in his foreshadowing, but he couldn’t just come out and tell Adam that he’d spoken with his grandfather and had confirmation that he was in fact Adam’s destiny.  The one, as most people would say.

 

“Who else could he have meant?  Tell me, Tommy.  Who?  Because I’m not worthy of anyone else.”

 

Tommy’s face contorted as so many thoughts and declarations filled his brain.  How could this man not see what was sitting right in front of him.  How did Adam spend almost every day with Tommy and not notice that he’d found his kindred, his soulmate.  Tommy had known within seconds of meeting Adam.  It’d been like a fucking lightning bolt knocking him off his feet, shutting off the entire world except for the dark haired, blue eyed man in front of him.  Wasn’t it supposed to be like that for everyone?  Weren’t you just supposed to know?  Exasperated, Tommy let out a long aggravated grunt. 

 

“How can you be so blind?”

 

“What?”  Adam asked, confused by Tommy sudden change in demeanor.

 

“Why can’t you see what’s right fucking in front of you.”

 

“I don’t understa-”

 

“Me, Adam.  Me.”

 

Adam actually looked shocked.  He had to know that Tommy had feelings for him.  Hell, he’d asked him out on a date at one point.  

 

“Tommy, you’re my best friend.”

 

Anger was beginning to bubble to the surface.  Tommy wasn’t angry at Adam, just angry at the whole situation, and it was all because of Xander.  Trying to keep both anger and desperation out of his voice, he responded, “Your best friend who’s fucking in love with you!  Jesus, Adam.  I’d give you the fucking world just to get that smile on your face. The one I’ve only seen you give me.  Your genuine smile.”

 

“Tommy,”  Adam said as he tried again to turn his face away from Tommy.  This time Tommy let him, but not before he saw the conflict storming in Adam’s eyes.  Adam had feelings for Tommy, feelings that went beyond friendship.  Tommy just didn’t understand why Adam fought them so hard.   “You just don’t understand.”

 

“I understand more than you realize,”  Tommy said, getting off his knees and crossing the room.  If only he could tell Adam.  Adam already knew there had been something different about his grandfather, something greater than the normal person.  He would understand.  Adam would understand and see the situation for what it was: Adam’s happily ever after.

 

_ Give him his happily ever after, Tommy.  Give him what he wants and get what you want in return. _

 

God damn it.  Bella.  She was always there and always listening to everything that went through Tommy’s head.  Tommy wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but since the night he accidentally had sex with her, he believed Bella actually did know his every thought.  He would put money on it.  She invaded his dreams, his thoughts, always at well timed moments.  He would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that Bella was beginning to have an effect on him.  Every taunt, every soft whisper, made the wheels of “what if” spin in his head. Would it be worth it?  Lose his sole for a chance to be happy with Adam.  Could he risk eternity at the hands of Bella for even one night of experiencing what it was like to be loved and cherished by Adam?

 

Before he had a chance to delve into his thoughts too deeply, Rat cleared his throat from somewhere in the house. 

 

**I hate to interrupt, but Bella’s near.  I can sense her.**

 

With Adam right there within ear shot, Tommy couldn’t answer his familiar.  Instead, he tried to answer cryptically through his conversation with Adam. 

 

“I sense it.”

 

Adam looked again puzzled.  “Sense what?”

 

“That voice in your head.  It’s telling you to give in.  You want to.”

 

**Shit.  What the fuck is she saying to you now?  You better not be falling for her shit.**

 

Tommy continued, trying to give Winston answers, as he also spoke the truth once again to Adam.  “You want to give in, but you never will,  will you?  You’ll never give me the chance to get into that heart of yours.”

 

Adam sighed as Winston gave Tommy a grunt of understanding.  That was the good thing about Winston.  Between Tommy’s emotions and his clipped explanations, Winston always knew what Tommy was trying to say.

 

**I’m gonna go try to sniff her out.  She may just be in your head, but she may physically be here somewhere, too.  I’ll keep you posted.**

Tommy’s mind went silent.  It was always exhausting to try to communicate with Winston while he was in the company of someone oblivious to the secrets he kept.  He was no longer in the mood to talk.  He was out of things to say, and out of ways to say them.  He’d laid everything out, professed his love to Adam, and gotten the same old answers in return.  He stormed toward the door.  He needed to get out of that room and away from Adam.  He needed to go sleep off his mood.  Tomorrow he’d have his head on level again and be able to go back to being the best friend.

 

As he opened the door and crossed the threshold, he heard Adam whisper, “You already are.”

 

He turned, taking one last look at Adam before he went to hide in his room.  What he saw as he took in Adam’s defeated posture and distressed features, broke the last of his willpower.  He wanted Adam happy.  He wanted to see that smile on Adam’s face.  He wanted Adam to see how much he fucking loved the man.  If another black smudge is what it took, then so be it.  It would be worth it.  Two smudges were nothing.  They would barely register in the grand scheme.

 

Closing his eyes, Tommy let his head fall back as he softly chanted to himself.  By this time tomorrow, Adam would be smiling again.  He’d be the carefree spirit Tommy had fallen in love with.  A little piece of him would be healed, and Tommy would sit back and watch the broken pieces fall away.

 

Just one more little smudge. 

 


	24. Chapter 24

Tommy spent the rest of the day and night in his room by himself.  He needed time to decompress after the revealing conversation he’d had with Adam, and Adam needed time to heal his broken heart.  He stewed in the small guest bedroom, wanting to go out and check on Adam, but knowing he needed to isolate himself away from Adam as the spell took effect.  So, instead of barging out the door to the man who held his heart, he sat alone, contemplating what everything would mean in the morning.

 

The spell Tommy had cast over Adam was no small deal.  It would change Adam’s perception of everything he thought he’d known.  The smudge on Tommy’s aura was a bit bigger, but it would be worth it.  Adam would be happy, and maybe, finally see that Tommy was his other half.

 

Once morning broke, Tommy left the confines of his room, and ventured out into the quiet house.  He started a pot of coffee, and leaned against the counter as he waited for it to finish.  Looking around the kitchen which opened up into the living room, Tommy took in the space.  He was standing where Adam had grown up, where he’d eaten breakfast, day in and day out.  It was the place that Adam had done homework, and played games with his grandfather.  There were so many happy memories within the walls that Tommy tried to piece together.  Every piece led to the one thing he wanted more than anything: a happy Adam.  

 

He was about to find out if his happy Adam was back.  The door of Adam’s room opened and a fresh-faced Adam emerged.  He crossed to the kitchen and smiled at Tommy as he reached across Tommy’s thin body to grab a coffee mug.  Pouring himself a cup, he smiled.  “Hey, Kitten.”

 

Tommy smiled back.  “Hey, yourself.  Did you sleep well?”

 

Adam took a small sip from his cup, and yelped softly.  “That’s hot.  I slept great!”

 

“Good.  I wasn’t sure if you would after…”  Tommy trailed off.

 

“After what?”  Adam laughed lightly.  “Half drowning us in the river?”

 

“Why did you have to anchor that damn boat?”

 

Adam looked at Tommy strangely.  “I didn’t anchor the boat?  You did.”

 

“I did?”  Tommy knew damn well what happened and who anchored the boat, but he played dumb.

 

“Yes.  Right after you yelled at me.”

 

“I yelled at you?”

 

“Are you okay, Tommy?  Did you hit your head when you fell out of the boat?”  Adam asked, concern washing over his face.

 

It’d worked.  Tommy’s spell had worked.  Adam’ memory of the previous day was gone.  The breakdown in the treehouse and at home, the confessions, everything was gone.  As far as Adam knew, Tommy had no knowledge what-so-ever of his past with Xander.  Everything was back the way it was supposed to be.  Adam wouldn’t remember, and Tommy would be able to save his confessions for another day, preferably a happier one. 

 

As to not leave Adam concerned for too long, Tommy said, “I’m fine, Adam.  I just didn’t consider what I said yelling, per se.  It was more like talking animatedly.”

 

That made Adam laugh.  “So I guess telling me you’d feed me to the piranha's, which there are none of in the river, by the way, in a voice loud enough for the gods to hear, wasn’t yelling?”

 

“Nope. Not yelling.”  Tommy smirked, a wicked twinkle in his eye.

 

Rolling his eyes, Adam picked up a towel sitting on the counter and threw it at Tommy’s head.  “You’re terrible.”

 

“Terribly awesome.”

 

“And corny,”  Adam added as he exited the kitchen and took a seat on the couch across the room.

 

Tommy crossed the room and joined Adam in the living room.  “Maybe.”

 

They sat and sipped their coffee in silence.  The room was bright with the sunlight pouring in from the large bay window.  For a moment, Tommy pictured himself sitting in the bay window, looking out at something outside, as Adam stood behind him with a hand lovingly on his shoulder.  The picture was there.  It was always there in Tommy’s head, teasing him with all the what ifs and may nots.  He sighed loudly.

 

Adam caught the sight, and questioned Tommy.  “What’re you thinking?”

 

Caught off guard while in his domestic dreamworld, Tommy turned to Adam and gave him a small, sad smile.  “Just thinking about how nice this house would be to raise a family.”

 

“It was a nice house to raise me,”  Adam said sweetly, sensing the melancholy in Tommy’s voice.

 

Turning his head toward the window, Tommy envisioned what he wanted out of life.  He’d been alone for so long, with only Winston and the occasional lover.  It was all he’d ever thought he’d needed until Adam crossed his path.  In that instant, his lonely life flashed before his eyes, and the hope and promise of something more took hold.  “I want this,”  Tommy said to himself.

 

It must have been loud enough for Adam to hear, because his face became sympathetic as he looked out the window, too.  “You’ll have it, Kitten.  When the right person comes along.”

 

Tommy’s heart broke in his chest.  Though Adam didn’t remember the pain and anguish he’d lived through just hours before, the reality remained the same.  He was with Xander.  He was loyal to Xander, and nothing Tommy had done had changed that one simple fact.  The trauma of his past was still there.  The feeling of worthlessness still ate away at Adam. The only difference was that Adam had no recollection that he had confided in Tommy, or that Tommy had professed his love to the weeping man.  Tommy was back at square one. 

 

“Do you know anything about Plato’s symposium?”  Tommy asked Adam, taking a sip of his coffee.  Adam nodded and he continued.  “One quote states that each person had been born with four arms, four legs, and two faces.  Zeus was threatened by this, and feared the power, so he split the person into two separate parts and condemned them to remain apart, forever searching for their other half.”

 

“Soulmates.”

 

Tommy nodded.  “I found my other half,”  Tommy whispered softly.  Looking up at Adam he asked.  “Is Xander your other half?”

 

“He has to be,”  Adam answered, the sadness in his voice not lost on Tommy.  

 

It was a heartache they shared.  They were two halves of a whole, who were lucky enough to find each other, but still condemned to live apart by circumstances, for their own reasons, that they could’nt change. 

 

~

 

**Ah, it’s good to be home.**

 

Tommy opened the door to his apartment and tossed his bags onto the floor.  It’d only been a weekend, but it’d felt like a lifetime since he’d been surrounded by the comforts of home.  It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was familiar. It was calm, and it was quiet.  The weekend with Adam had been exhausting both physically and mentally, and Tommy just wanted to have a nice long rendezvous with his bed. Maybe sleeping within his own sheets would bring him back to a place of normalcy.

 

He’d smudged his aura not once, but twice during his two days with Adam.  He didn’t regret either indiscretion, but he knew that each one let Bella in a little bit closer. He’d have to be on guard more that usual until the pull of the forbidden magic ebbed away.  He’d made himself vulnerable, something he’d sworn he’d never do. 

 

“I need a nap.”

 

**Yes you do.  You need to clear your head.  We have damage control.**

 

“Not now, Rat,”  Tommy grumbled as he padded to his bedroom door.  He pushed it open and quickly stripped down to his boxers.  Pulling back the blankets, he crawled into his bed, and burrowed in until his head was barely visible.  “Wake me up in a week.”

 

He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. 

 

~

 

_ “You’re mine.  Tell me you’re mine.” _

 

_ “I’m yours,”  Tommy breathed into Adam’s mouth.  Their warm breath mixed as Adam sealed their lips together. _

 

_ “I’m your other half.” _

 

_ “Yes.” _

 

_ Their breaths came in pants as their bodies pressed together.  Adam moved in an even rhythm in and out of Tommy’s body as Tommy writhed beneath him. _

 

_ “I love you, Adam.” _

 

_ “I love you too, Kit-” _

 

_ What is all this talk about love, Tommy?  Tsk.  Tsk.  You know you belong to me.” _

 

_ Tommy opened his eyes and in the place that had just moments before been filled with Adam’s warm embrace, was Bella.  Her wild red hair, and fierce green eyes, staring down at a silent, still Tommy.  She leaned in and pressed her cold, uninviting lips to his.   _

 

_ Tommy choked back the bile that had risen to his throat.  He was pinned in place.  Even in her petite female form, Bellaepherant was stronger than any man.  Panic raced through his chest as he tried to wiggle free.  _

 

_ “There’s no use in fighting me, Tommy.  I told you I’d have you eventually.”  With a blood curdling cackle, Bella thrust herself down onto Tommy’s naked body, and forced him to take her in her female form. _

 

_ Tommy cried out, “NO!” _

 

_ Strong hands wrapped around his waist and held him gently, but close.  Warmth radiated between himself and the other body.  “Shh.  It’s okay.  I’ve got you.” _

 

_ Tommy opened his eyes to see a hard chest.  He was no longer undressed.  He looked up to see Adam’s caring eyes searching his scared, confused ones. _

 

_ “What happened?”  Tommy asked. _

 

_ “Bad dream.  You’re okay now.” _

 

_ “Please don’t ever leave me,”  Tommy begged, holding onto Adam with a vice grip, afraid he’d disappear again.  _

 

_ “Never.” _

 

_ Suddenly, Tommy was in the pits of a hell that could only be Bella’s world, whatever plane in time she existed in when she wasn’t tormenting Tommy.  The room was dark, lit only by the red glowing flames of gas lanterns at the corners of each wall.  The only things in the room were a bed, dressed in black satin, and manacles on the wall to the left.  Tommy shuddered through every bone.  _

 

_ “Welcome home, Tommy,”  Bella sing-songed as if she were anything but the demented, perverted, monster that Tommy knew her to be.  _

 

_ Again the scene flashed, and Tommy stood at a lily covered alter.  He was dressed to the nines and had an unusual flutter in his belly.  He looked out past the altar, where waves softly rolled against the shore.  A man dressed in a judge’s robe stood beside him. _

 

_ Someone cleared their throat behind Tommy and he turned.  There stood Adam in a pale grey suit, looking nervously handsome.  “Shall we?”  Adam asked, motioning to the alter. _

 

_ Comprehension dawning, Tommy nodded his head and held out his hand for Adam to take.  They turned to face one another, hands joined and smiles on their faces. _

 

_ “I wrote my own vows,”  Adam said sheepishly.  _

 

_ “I...forgot,”  Tommy said, not understanding why he didn’t remember being with Adam, let alone standing together, about to be married.  _

 

_ “That’s okay.  I know we wanted to keep it simple, but I couldn’t help myself.”  Adam smiled, dipped his hand inside his pocket and pulled out a small gold band. _

 

_ “Whenever you’re ready,” the justice said.  _

 

_ “Ok,”  Adam said, taking a deep breath, and sliding the ring onto Tommy’s finger.  “I know it took me awhile to get here, but here it goes.  I love you, Kitten.  I think I may have loved you from the moment we collided at the Boardwalk.  We locked eyes, and you grabbed a hold.  I was haunted by those eyes.  I didn’t know why.  Even when they were staring back at me in my own reflection, I didn’t know why.” _

 

_ Tommy smiled almost as if he were a shy teenager.  He’d waited what felt like forever to hear Adam say the words to him, and it was happening at the beginning of forever. _

 

_ Adam continued.  “Through all the bullshit I dealt you, staying with Xander, leading you on, you stayed.  You stuck with me, and never gave up.  Thank you.  I will never be able to show you how grateful I am that you gave me the chance to find my way to you.  You’re my soulmate, my other half I thought I’d never find.” _

 

_ “Two halves of a whole,”  Tommy said, tears stinging his eyes.  _

 

_ “Now one.” _

 

_ Tommy leaned forward and kissed Adam hard on the mouth.  He knew he was supposed to wait, but he’d waited long enough.  The rest of the vows could wait a few minutes longer.  From that moment on, they had forever. _

 

Tommy woke with a start.  He shot up, and looked around frantically as he took in his surroundings.  The familiar sight of his room coming into focus, his heart began to slow.  It had been a dream.  All the wonderful moments he craved with Adam, and the horrible moments with Bella, were all just illusions from his subconscious.

 

**Are you okay, Tommy.**

 

Tommy sighed and blew out a long, deep breath.  “Yeah, I’m okay.”

 

**Bella?**

 

“Worse.  A happily ever fucking after.”

 

**Oh.** Winston knew what Tommy had meant and thankfully didn’t push it any farther.

 

As Tommy sat and thought about the dream, the familiar voice that had been invading his thoughts, spoke up once again.

 

_ Two outcomes.  Do nothing and be miserably in love, forever pining for the man you’ll never have, or... _ Bella’s voice trailed off, no doubt enjoying dragging out what she was saying for her own dramatic effect.   _ Make your fantasy a reality.  Have the life you want with Adam.  A long and happy life full of laughter and children and memories that will last forever.  However, know if you choose that path, once that happy life is over, your soul will belong to me to do with as I please.  Is the price worth the payout?  I’ll be waiting. _

 

And she was gone.  Tommy looked at Winston who was looking back at him with concern.

 

**You all right?  You checked out.**

 

“I’m fine,”  Tommy said as he flopped back down onto his bed.  As much as he hated to even contemplate the idea, what Bella said planted itself in his head.  Was being with Adam worth his soul.  Six months ago he would have said no.  Hell, three days ago he would have said no, but after the weekend he’d just had with Adam, he wasn’t so sure anymore, and it scared the living hell out of him. 

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I've been terrible at responding to comments. I love comments and promise to answer them more timely.

**_A month came and went since Tommy, Adam, and I spent the weekend in the town that Adam grew up in.  Since the moment we set foot back home, Tommy’s mood began to shift.  As each day passed, his mood would swing to both extremes.  One minute, he was on top of the world, loving every second he spent with Adam, charming the tourists at the Boardwalk.  The next minute, he was pissy and moping, packing up his booth early, or not even setting up at all.  He snapped at everyone, including Adam.  Sometimes he wouldn’t even leave the house.  All he would do was watch Adam through his mirror and bitch about Xander._ **

 

**_He’d gotten so bad that Adam walked on eggshells around Tommy.  If only he knew that he was the cause of Tommy’s bipolar shift.  As much as Tommy tried to deny it, I knew Bella was still in his head, tormenting him.  He wouldn’t tell me, but I knew.  She was breaking him, and his spiral into blackness was about to begin._ **

 

“Let’s go celebrate,”  Adam said, a giant smile spread across his face.  He’d been acting strangely all day, and Tommy wasn’t able to put his finger on what exactly Adam was so damn happy about.

 

“Celebrate what?”  Tommy wasn’t in the celebrating mood.  He was having an off day.  One of many recently.  His mind was foul, and as much as he wanted to be in Adam’s company, Adam’s enthusiasm was grating on Tommy’s nerves.  It wouldn’t be the first time he’d snapped at Adam in the past month, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.  Adam had taken it in stride. He’d been too concerned with Tommy’s wellbeing to be pissed at Tommy’s attitude. 

 

“It’s been exactly one year since you ran into me at the Boardwalk.”

 

Tommy raised a brow as he took in Adam’s youthful expressions of delight.  “Is that really a reason to celebrate?”  

 

“Of course it is!”  Adam threw his arm around Tommy’s shoulders, giving him a side hug.  “That’s when I met my best friend.”

 

Ugh, those words.  Those two little words that made every hot, angry nerve in Tommy’s body rise to the surface with a heated frenzy.  Best friend.  The thing that Adam was so excited to celebrate was the thing that filled Tommy with the exhausting highs and lows that came with loving a man who was too blind to love him back.  He was Adam’s best friend, and Adam his, but if he had to hear those damn words again, he might just jump off a pier.

 

Tommy put on a fake smile and simply said, “Ok.”

 

They’d gone to Murphy’s as they always did, sitting at the bar, being served by the same waitress that had hit on Tommy the first time they’d met for what had become their favorite place.  Adam ordered a fruit-filled sangria, while Tommy ordered a beer.

Sipping his beer, Tommy’s eyes roamed around the room.  There’d been the regulars, always sitting in the same places:  the booth by the window, the table by the bar, the bar itself.  They were scattered throughout the place, each one holding a different life and a different story.  Tommy wondered why they chose Murphy’s as their go to spot.  Were the single ones lonely, or wanting to be by themselves?  Did the couples meet at Murphy’s or have their first dates there?  Did any one of them have a story similar to he and Adam’s?  So much to think about.  Tommy’d never really cared before, but now he did.  He questioned anything and everything, especially matters of the heart.

 

Bella had ruined him, taken away his rational thought.  He wanted to ignore the voices in his head, but didn’t know how to turn them off.  It wasn’t even Bella’s voice in his head.  She hadn’t said a single word since that night he’d dreamed about what a life with Adam could be like, and what a life with Bella would entail.  It’d been his own voice.  His thoughts had been, and still were, conflicting.  One side of his mind was telling him to stay wise, don’t give into Bella’s manipulation, while the other side asked how bad could eternity with Bella be?  Even though he wouldn’t like it, he could handle being her sex slave.  If that’s all he had to be.  That was really all she’d shown him, but Tommy always had known when it came to Bellaepherant, she was always up to something. 

 

“Did you even hear what I said?”  Adam asked.  Tommy turned and looked into ice blue eyes that were looking at him with concern.  “You’re off in la-la land again.  Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Adam’s brow furrowed.  “No.  No you’re not.”

 

Tommy rolled his eyes.  This was the same conversation they had last week.  Tommy would space out, and Adam would mother hen him to death.  It made Tommy all that much more cranky.  He wanted to be mother henned by Adam, but not from the outside looking in.  Turning his head away from Adam,  Tommy squeezed his eyes shut.  He was either going to cry or scream.  

 

“No,”  Adam said, reaching out and securing Tommy’s jaw with his big, warm hand.  He nudged gently until Tommy was forced to look him in the eyes.  “Talk to me.  You’re not running away from whatever this is anymore.  I’m your best friend.  You can tell me anything.”

 

“There’s nothing to te-”

 

“Stop.  Just stop.  If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine, but don’t ruin this evening.  It’s a celebration.”

 

“I’m sorry.”  It was all Tommy could think to say. 

 

Adam released Tommy’s jaw and leaned back in his chair.  “Don’t be sorry.  Be Happy.  I miss my Tommy.”

 

His Tommy, if only that were true.  Tommy’s features softened, pulling up the mask to hide his true feeling.  “I’m okay.  Really, I am.  Let’s order and get this party started, shall we?”

 

Adam studied Tommy.  After a few uncomfortable moments, a smile slid across Adam’s face. The mask had served its purpose once more.  It allowed Tommy to go through the motions and be believable, while the two sides of his mind dueled it out, like medieval jousters.

 

~

 

By last  call, Tommy was beyond piss drunk.  It had indeed been a celebration.  The bartender passed out drinks like water, a few of the regulars buying rounds and joining in on the fun.  Much to the dismay of Tommy, their one year friendship anniversary also happened to be the very first karaoke night.  Adam begged and pleaded for Tommy to join him on stage until he finally relented.  He had just enough alcohol in him to not give a shit about anything.

 

They’d sung something disco; the name of the song slipped through Tommy liquor soaked brain.  He knew the words, at least, and screeched them right alongside Adam’s angelic voice.  Tommy couldn’t remember if he’d known Adam could sing, but vowed to get Adam to sing for him on a regular basis.

 

Once they were finished, the crowded bar cheered as they went back to their seats.  One more round from a patron, and Tommy could no longer string together a rational thought.

 

“I cunt fool my lags,”  Tommy said, unable to even pronounce the words he was trying to say.

 

“You said cunt.”  Adam was less intoxicated than Tommy and was in full control of his actions and words.

 

“Mmm...didn’t.  Said cint.  Cunt.  Can’t.”

 

“You said cunt,”  Adam said again, laughing his ass off.  Loud laughs from deep down in his belly, rattled up his throat as he struggled to stay upright on his stool.

 

“Fuckter.”

 

More laughing from the peanut gallery that was Adam.  He couldn’t stop, and it would have made Tommy angry, if it weren’t for the adorable smile that was plastered across Adam’s face that made it impossible to be mad.  Even in his drunken state, Tommy was aware of his feelings for Adam, and how he’d do anything to keep that smile on his face. 

 

“We should probably go home.  Last call’s in five minutes.”  Adam threw some money on the table with their bill.  Normally they would split the bill, but Tommy couldn’t remember, and Adam didn’t remind him.

 

“Okie Dokie, Ar- tit- chokie.”

 

“What?”  Adam asked, befuddled.  

 

“I don’t nope.  Where’s my coot?”

 

“You didn’t bring a coat.”

 

“Hmm.  Interesting.”

 

Adam giggled at Tommy’s ridiculousness.  “Not really.  What is interesting is that you’ve lost your ability to form words.  Come on; let's go.”

 

Tommy followed Adam out to the taxi that the bartender called for them.  Like a gentleman, Adam opened the door for Tommy and ushered him into the back seat.

 

“So, chilv...chev...fuck.  Shovelous.”

 

Adam closed the door and told the driver where to go, before turning to Tommy.  “The word is chivalrous.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

The entire drive back to Tommy’s house was quiet, both men choosing not to talk.  Tommy looked a little green at one point, but explained that sometimes, especially after drinking he tended to get a bit car sick.  Once at Tommy’s apartment building, Adam got out of the car, and ushered Tommy to his front door.  Tommy fumbled for his keys, but ultimately, Adam had to unlock the door for his inebriated friend. 

 

The door opened, and Tommy stepped inside.  Winston had been at the door waiting on him, no doubt making it back to the apartment before they did.  He had a tendency to do that.  Tommy wasn’t sure how his rat managed to get home that fast, but he always did. 

 

“Hey, Winston,”  Adam said, bending over to scratch the rodent on the top of the head.  Winston squeaked before running off to another room. 

 

“Great.  I’m drunk.”

 

“Yes.  Yes you are.”

“Rats gonna be so pissed.”

 

Adam raised an eyebrow at Tommy.  “He’s a rat.  He can’t be pissed at you.  Even if he could, he wouldn’t be able to do anything to you.”

 

“There’s so much you don’t know,”  Tommy said, sobering up enough to get his words back. “Winston’s special.”

 

“He is,”  Adam said, still raising his brow.  That had been the first time Tommy had ever referred to his familiar by his actual name. 

 

Tommy walked over to the couch and plopped down dramatically.  He made a spectacle of taking his shoes off.  He’d gotten his words back, but not his fine motor skills.  Once the shoes were on the floor, he immediately began bitching about how hot it was in the apartment, and began to take his close off, piece by piece.

 

Adam’s cheeks turned red.  He’d turned to give Tommy some privacy, but when he turned around, Tommy was on full display.  He was lying on his back, legs open, with a leg thrown up over the back of the couch.  

 

“Uh, I should go.”

 

Tommy sat up straight in an instant.  “No!  Don’t go.”

 

“I really should,”

 

“Stay.”

 

Adam breathed out a long sigh.  “I can’t.”

 

“Can’t or won’t?”  Tommy asked, sobering up a tiny bit and finally comprehending what was taking place.  Adam was running.  If Tommy had to guess, he’d say he was uncomfortable in the current situation.  His face was red, and Tommy could see a few beads of sweat above his brow.  Was Tommy being practically naked affecting Adam that much?  

 

Tommy may have sobered slightly, but he was still shitfaced enough to make poor decisions.  He stood from the couch, and sauntered over to where Adam was standing.  Standing on the tips of his toes, he leaned his naked torso into Adam, and threw his arms around Adam’s neck.  He felt Adam stiffen with his touch, but that didn’t stop him from saying something stupid. 

 

“I love you, Adam.  Stay with me.”

 

The look on Adam’s face was conflicted.   Tommy could tell that part of Adam wanted to stay, the spontaneous part of his brain.  The other side wanted Adam to be strong and leave like the gentlemen he was. 

 

“Tommy, I can’t.  Besides, you need to sleep it off.  You’re going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning.”  Adam ignored Tommy’s confession, not even acknowledging that Tommy had said it. 

 

“We can spoon.”

 

“I’m never letting you drink again.”  Adam took Tommy’s hands in his and lowered them to his sides.  Then he gently walked Tommy backwards and sat him back down on the couch.

 

“Come on, Adam.  I’ll be the big spoon.  You know you want to.”  Tommy waggled his eyebrow at Adam.

 

Adam just rolled his eyes and turned to leave.  Before he walked out and closed the door behind him, he called out to Tommy.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.  I’ll bring a hangover remedy.”

 

The door hadn’t even closed behind Adam before Tommy was out cold.

  
  



	26. Chapter 26

What the fuck had happened last night?  Tommy’s head was pounding as he tried to remember the events of the previous night.  He’d gone to Murphy’s with Adam to celebrate their “friendship” anniversary.  He’d gotten blasted worse than he’d ever been in his life.  That much he knew.  What he didn’t know were the details.  Images flashed through his head, but nothing was a complete memory.

 

He remembered singing karaoke with Adam.  He remembered being practically carried to the car.  He even remembered being at home, partially naked, and the red that crept into Adam’s cheeks.  He felt like he’d said something stupid as well, but couldn’t think of what it was.

 

Then it’d gotten weird.  He’d been in the woods, searching for something.  He wasn’t sure what it was that he’d been looking for, but it’d been dark and he’d been inching his way between trees, peeking behind and around them as he’d gone.  He’d been calling for someone, but his voice had been silent.  He’d treked through the area, seeing nothing.  All the while he’d felt as if someone were behind him, mimicking and tracing his every step.  It’d been strange and eery.

 

Tommy tried to shake some of the hangover from his foggy mind.  He needed coffee.  That would fix all his woes.  He moved along to the kitchen and made a pot.  With coffee in hand, he sat at his table and took out his phone.  Scrolling through his contacts, he stopped on Adam’s name.

 

He wrote out a quick text message and hit send. 

 

T:  You going to the boardwalk today?

 

A few seconds later, Tommy’s phone dinged with an incoming message. 

 

A:  I can’t today.  Something came up. 

 

That was odd.  Tommy had an ominous feeling wash over him. 

 

T:  Everything ok?

 

A:  Fine.  I can’t really talk.  I’ll text you later.

 

Tommy’s stomach bottomed out to his feet.  That didn’t sound like Adam.  Something was happening, and Tommy didn’t like it one bit.  A million and one scenarios raced through his head, but one stuck front and center.  Xander.  Xander had done something to upset Adam.  That was the only explanation there could be.  

 

Furious, even though a small part of his brain was telling him he was overreacting, Tommy stormed to his mirror, said his chant, and opened the portal to Adam’s amulet.  As the haze between Adam’s space and Tommy’s connected, Tommy noticed something that made his gut knot.  Adam wasn’t wearing his necklace.  He’d never taken in off.  In all the months since Tommy had given it to him, he’d never taken it off.  However, there it sat, on what Tommy assumed was a dresser, and stared out into a vacant room of Adam’s apartment. 

 

~

 

Tommy paced the apartment.  Back and forth, he was wearing tracks into the carpet as he waited to hear from Adam.  He’d texted Adam when he’d woken up from one hell of a night of drinking.  That was sixteen hours ago.  No word from Adam, not even a text to let Tommy know he was okay.  So many scenarios ran through Tommy’s head that he was making himself crazy.

 

Xander may have done something.  Tommy knew his history and also knew that at the first sign of trouble, Adam would be running to help.  Tommy also thought that what he’d said the night before had chased Adam off.  Not only did he come on to him hot and heavy, he’d told Adam he loved him.  Sure, it was in an incredibly drunken state, but it’d been true, and Adam would have been a fool not to see it.  Maybe Adam was sick.  Maybe he went to a doctor and didn’t want to bother Tommy with it because he wouldn’t have wanted Tommy to worry about him.  So many scenarios indeed, but not a single answer. 

 

The biggest thing that had Tommy up in arms was the amulet.  Adam had never taken it off before.  Why?  Why did he take it off at the same time he told Tommy “something came up.”  Tommy knew what that statement signified.  It was the nail in the coffin of a relationship.  That, followed by sixteen hours of silence, spoke volumes.  Adam was over it, over Tommy, and over their friendship.

 

The thought made Tommy’s stomach turn.  He’d been bitching to Winston so much in the past month about the friend zone, that he never stopped to think about what they did have.  All he focused on was how Adam didn’t love him and wouldn’t step away from Xander and his stupid preconceived notion that Xander was ‘the one.’  He’d never seen what they did have.  A bond that he’d thought was unbreakable seemed shattered.

 

“I think I’m going to be sick,”  Tommy said into the empty room.  Winston was somewhere within the apartment, but he’d been giving Tommy space.  

 

**_Well, don’t puke on the carpet._ **

 

“Fuck you, Rat.”

 

**_Would you get it together.  Adam hasn’t abandoned you.  He’ll be back._ **

 

“It’s been…”  Tommy looked at his watch.  “sixteen...no, seventeen hours, thirteen minutes, and forty-seven seconds.”

 

Winston popped his head out from behind the couch. He liked to hide under it when Tommy needed him close but out of sight.   **_Get out of the damn house.  Do some laundry, something to keep you mind sane.  You’re going to go nuts if you don’t do something._ **

 

“What is there to do, Rat?  Tell me.  Every second that goes by, the farther away Adam feels.  I can’t survive without him.  Not anymore.”  Tommy sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands. He’d never felt as much despair as he did in that moment. 

 

He could cast a spell, make Adam drop whatever he was doing and come to Tommy.  It wouldn’t matter what he’d been doing.  But Tommy didn’t want Adam to come to him by manipulation.  He wanted to know what kept Adam silent for so long.  Even when they didn’t see each other every day, they called or texted multiple times throughout the day.  

 

Tommy tried the mirror one more time.  Still the amulet sat untouched, facing out to Adam’s bedroom.  Why had Adam taken it off?  That answer may have been what was bothering Tommy the most. 

 

With a deep sigh, Tommy sprang from the couch.  He couldn’t sit around any longer or he would go crazy.  He headed for the kitchen and began to scrub every surface that was visible.  The countertops, the floor, the cabinets, he cleaned and organized until everything was spotless and in its place. 

 

Still no Adam, so Tommy moved on to the next room.  He dusted and vacummed his bedroom, as well as organized every drawer and closet.  Nothing was left untouched.  He continued on throughout the house.  By the time he was finished, the whole apartment looked brand spanking new.

 

“Now what do I do?”  Tommy asked, as he put away the bucket and mop.  Cleaning the apartment from floor to ceiling has taken about three hours.  It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Tommy had slept, and he wasn’t tired at all.  At least his mind wasn’t.  His mind was running a hundred miles a minute, while his body was exhausted and worn.

 

**_You need to go to bed, Tommy.  Staying up isn’t going to make Adam call you any faster._ **

 

“I know, Rat.  But I’m never going to be able to sleep.”

 

**_Try.  You’re no good to anyone in the state you’re in now.  Go sleep, Even if it’s only an hour.  I’ll let you know if he calls._ **

 

Taking Winston’s advise, Tommy went to the bedroom and got under the blankets.  After what felt like another twenty-four hours, he finally succumbed to exhaustion.

 

~

 

Tommy woke with a start, something that had been happening more and more as of late.  He looked at the clock, and it was eleven in the morning.  He’d slept for only about four hours.  Putting his feet on floor, Tommy headed towards the bathroom.  His mind was gone at this point, and a shower was in order.  Maybe the hot spray would clear his head.  

 

He undressed quickly and turned the taps on.  Normally he’d take a warm shower, but this time he turned the hot water all the way on.  He grimaced as he stepped into the scalding hot water.  It burned and hurt his skin, but he didn’t care.  He needed to wash away his worries, while at the same time, feeling a pain that wasn’t in his heart.  He stayed in the shower until the water ran cold. 

 

It hadn’t helped.  He still felt as shitty as he had before.  He quickly dried and headed back to the bedroom to get dressed.  Once dressed and ready for the day, he didn’t want to, but the bills needed to be paid, he headed back out to where Winston sat quietly on the arm of the sofa.  Tommy ignored the rodent as he sat down to put on his shoes.  

 

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that his phone was flashing with a missed message.  He practically fell off the couch trying to get to it.  He unlocked the screen, and a missed message from Adam popped up on his screen.

 

Adam:  Sorry…

 

Tommy choked back the bile that welled in his throat.  Why was Adam saying sorry.  He feared that it was “Sorry I can’t see you anymore” but also knew it could be an “I’m sorry” for disappearing on him for over a day.  He needed to know, so he typed out a message.

 

Tommy:  Sorry for what?

 

Thirty seconds passed before Tommy’s phone dinged.

 

Adam:  I broke the necklace you gave me.

 

That’s what he was sorry for?  Of all the things that ran through Tommy’s mind, that never hit the radar.  Of course that had nothing to do with why Adam left Tommy with no explanation as to why he was gone.

 

Tommy:  How are you?

 

Tommy needed to know.  Not only was he fearful of what Adam would say, He also wanted piece of mind that Adam was okay. 

 

Adam: Better now. :)

 

A smiley face.  It was something, and it made the knot in Tommy’s stomach to unravel a bit. At the very least, it meant the reason Adam ran off was  _ not  _ because he no longer wanted Tommy in his life. 

 

Before Tommy could type out a response, his phone buzzed again.

 

Adam:  I need to talk to you, but I want to do it in person.  There are some things you need to know.  Bad things.

 

Another buzz.

 

Adam.  I don’t want to lose you.

 

Why the hell would Adam say that?  Tommy typed out a message in response.

 

Tommy:  You’ll never lose me.

 

Adam:  I might.

 

Tommy:  Never.

 

Tommy meant it.  There was nothing Adam could tell him that would make him run.  Never again would he run from the man he loves, even if that man never, ever loves him back. 

 

The texts stop after Adam tells Tommy he’ll be over that evening.  Good thing Tommy cleaned the apartment.  He wasn’t the best housekeeper, but if you looked at his house after his bout of stress cleaning, you would believe he was a clean freak.

 

Now that he knew Adam wasn’t intending to break off their friendship, Tommy breathed a little better.  There was something on Adam’s mind that made him fearful of what he’d hear, but he knew, no matter what it was, at least Adam would still be there with him, even if it was only as friends.

 

Right now he’d settle for friends, just as long as Adam was okay.  He’d move heaven and earth for Adam, and take anyone out that got in his way or hurt Adam.  He’d already smudged his aura, what was a little more?  Not to mention, he’d be doing it for Adam’s benefit not his own.  He could take anyone out with the snap of his fingers, and he’d do it with no remorse.

 

~

 

**_Tommy had no idea what he was saying.  With every word that had come from his lips, Bella grabbed onto him harder.  Every declaration of revenge or anger that Tommy spouted about the people who’d hurt Adam, fueled Bella’s voice inside Tommy’s head.  He couldn’t ignore her, no matter how hard he tried.  She’d been quiet for a while now according to Tommy, but I didn’t believe him one bit.  She may have silenced her voice, but she was still there.  Images often times affect people more than spoken words.  Only time would tell if Tommy would be able to fight the images that Bellaepherant was running through his mind on a continuous loop._ **

 


	27. Chapter 27

Tommy was mad.  Maybe mad wasn’t the right word to describe what he was feeling.  Murderous was a better fit.  Tommy felt murderous.

 

He’d been walking on eggshells since he’d gotten the text from Adam that said he needed to talk to Tommy.  Whatever it was, Adam was afraid to tell Tommy.  That much he knew.  The rest, he didn’t have a clue, and that scared Tommy.  He knew nothing Adam said would ever cause him to leave, but that didn’t make the unknown any less stressful.  It wasn’t until he opened the door and saw Adam’s face, that Tommy’s mind settled into one, singular emotion.

 

Standing in the doorway, Adam looked up at Tommy almost as if he were guilty.  Tommy’s eyes widened as he took in the swollen, deeply purple bruise that surrounded Adam’s left eye and crept down onto his cheek.  

 

“Jesus, Adam.  What the fuck happened?”  Tommy asked, trying to control the rage that had come on faster than a desert storm.

 

“It’s nothing, really.  An accident.”

 

“Bullshit.”  Tommy stepped out of the way and motioned for Adam to enter. Adam breached the threshold and just stood there, like it was his first time visiting, and he didn’t want to be rude by making himself at home.  

 

Tommy grabbed Adam’s arm and ushered him to the couch.  Plopping the man down on a cushion, Tommy kneeled on the floor in front of him. “Tell me.”

 

“You’ll hate me.”

 

“Adam...”  Tommy sighed.  Adam would never learn.  “There’s absolutely nothing on this earth that would make me hate you.  Now, please.  Tell me what happened.”

 

Adam sat quiet as a mouse.  He was fidgeting.  Tommy could tell by Adam’s body language that he wanted to tell Tommy what was in that head of his, but he was working down the anxiety and apprehension.   Tommy waited.  He knew that Adam would tell him; he just needed to do it on his own terms. 

 

Minutes crept by in silence before Adam finally spoke.  “I put Xander in rehab.”

 

“What?”  Of all the things Tommy was coming up with in his mind, that wasn’t one of them.

 

“You may want to get a drink.  This’ll take a while.”

 

“Did he hit you?”  Tommy had to ask.  The thought of Xander laying one finger on Adam’s beautiful head made his skin crawl.

 

“We’ll get to that.  I want to start at the beginning.”

 

“Okay,”  Tommy answered, getting up off of the floor and taking a seat beside Adam on the couch.  They both turned to face each other, and Adam grabbed Tommy’s hand and laced their fingers together.

 

“When Xander and I started dating, I was on cloud nine.  I thought he was perfect.  I found out quickly that he wasn’t.  Somewhere along the line, he started doing drugs.  It took me awhile to catch on.  He made up some very good excuses as to why he was never home.”

 

Adam was telling Tommy his story again.  Adam had no idea Tommy already knew the story, thanks to a little memory spell, but it was coming out again. Tommy knew before the story was over, he’d be all sorts of pissed off again, so he just nodded for Adam to proceed. 

 

“Once I found out about the drug use, I was hurt.  Looking back, I should have left.  I know that, but I cared for him.  We’d been together for a very long time.  One night I’d had enough.  I wanted  his attention and would have done anything to get it.”  Adam sighed and ran a hand through his thick, soft hair.  He was getting to the hard part and stalled, trying to find the right words.  Tommy knew what happened next but sat waiting as if everything Adam was saying was for the first time. 

 

“Long story short, I got high right along with him at one of his drug parties.  I ended up being raped that same night.”

 

“By Xander?”  Tommy asked, knowing the answer, but wanting Adam to say it out loud again.  He didn’t know why he’d wanted Adam to confirm it, but he wanted to hear it.  Maybe it was to justify his actions the night Adam had first told the story.  Maybe he just needed something else to fuel his rage. 

 

“Not by Xander.  Xander watched. It was...ah...everyone else.”  Adam looked away from Tommy almost as if he were embarrassed.  Hell, he was embarrassed.  He had nothing to be embarrassed about, but Tommy knew Adam all too well and knew that’s exactly what Adam was feeling. 

 

The rage grew stronger with the second telling.  It wasn’t nearly as graphic as the first, but the story was the same.  That asshole, Xander, let Adam be taken advantage of and abused.

 

Sensing the emotions coming off of Tommy, Adam unlocked their fingers and brought his hands to Tommy’s face.  He cupped Tommy’s cheeks in his hands and spoke softly.  “Don’t get mad.  It’s the past.”

 

“How can I not get mad when you’re sitting here with the mother of all black eyes?”

 

“There’s more story to tell.  Bear with me.”

 

“Okay,”  Tommy said, trying to calm himself down.  “What next?”

 

“Xander went to rehab.  I never told anyone but my grandfather about what happened to me.  I was too embarrassed.  Instead, I waited.  Every reason why I should leave ran through my head, but I just couldn’t.  I felt like I needed to stay to help him get better.  So I did.”

 

“Why?  How?”

 

“I don’t know.  Obligation maybe.  Loyalty.  Whatever the reason had been, I stayed.  He did his time in rehab, got clean, and out of the blue decided to move here so he could work the boardwalk.  I should have asked him to stay.  I should have felt something, but I didn’t.  So he went, I stayed, and we broke up.”

 

“I don’t understand why you got back with him once you moved here?”  Tommy would always be baffled by that even though he knew Adam’s reasoning was his grandfather’s words.

 

“You know why.”  That was the only answer Adam would give.   “Anyway, when I got home from putting your drunk ass to bed, I found him on the floor with a needle in his arm.  I’d thought he’d overdosed, but luckily he hadn’t.  He didn’t get to leave the hospital.  I requested that he be kept for inpatient rehab. He agreed.”

 

“So how did you get the black eye?”

 

Adam lifted a hand and touched the tender flesh below his eye. “Um...Xander wasn’t alone.”

 

The hair on the back of Tommy’s neck stood on end.  He had a bad feeling in his gut.  “Who was with him?”

 

“One of the guys who raped me.  He recognized me, even through his junkie haze.  He grabbed me and tried to force me to my knees.  I don’t think he expected me to fight back.”

 

“So, he hit you?  I’m going to kill him.”  Tommy could feel the heat in his cheeks.  He was going to explode at any second. 

 

“Yeah.  But I got a good nut shot.  Took him down with one kick.”

 

Tommy smiled at that, some of the anger dissipating for a moment.  It didn’t last long however.  The rage creeped back up his spine in no time.   He tried to cage it, at least for Adam’s benefit.  There was no telling what he’d do after Adam left. 

 

“So you and Xander are over?”  He had to ask.  He knew what Adam was going to come back and say, but it didn’t stop the hope that the answer would be something different.

 

“Um, no.  I’m not going to leave him when he needs me.”

 

“He had the man who raped you in your home, Adam.  That should be a deal breaker.”

 

He’d given up trying to understand Adam’s mentality when it came to Xander a long time ago.  

 

“You don’t understand.  You can’t understand.  It’s complicated.”

 

Tommy’s anger was back as fast as a flame on a struck match. He would never understand Adam’s unwillingness to kick Xander to the curb.  His lack of understanding was a weakness for Tommy.  It pulled him in and made him enter a sort of hero mode.  He didn’t need to save Adam, but he needed him to see reason.  He needed the man to see what was right in front of him.  He needed to make Adam see what kind of man Xander was.

 

As Adam continued to explain the situation to Tommy, Tommy’s eyes fluttered shut.  He mumbled something under his breath, so quietly even Winston wouldn’t be able to hear.  He did it right there with Adam none the wiser.  

 

Another spell had been cast.  Another black smudge.  Another port for Bella to enter. 

 

Once Adam had finished telling Tommy his horrible story, a tidbit of information that Adam had told him in the past sprung to the forefront of his mind.  “Didn’t you tell me at one point in time that Xander cheated on you?”  In both tellings, Adam had never mentioned that piece of the puzzle.

 

Adam looked Tommy in the eyes, with that sweet, vulnerable gaze that made Tommy weak in the knees.  “He did.  Well, not in the physical sense.  At least I don’t know if he did. I thought I’d seen him with someone that night, but I was so out of it.  I could have imagined it.  He did cheat on me for a very long time with his addiction, though.  He neglected me and our relationship for another hit.  He loved his mistress more than he loved me.”

 

Face fallen, Adam looked away as if he were ashamed.  Body language spoke loudly, and Adam’s body language was telling Tommy that Adam felt responsible for Xander’s issues.

 

“You know it’s not your fault, right?  None of that is your fault.”

 

Adam looked back.  His eyes burning through Tommy, heating a multitude of fires inside him.   “I know that now.  It took a very good therapist to make me realize it.”

 

“Then why did you go back?”  Again, Tommy knew the answer that Adam would give.  He was talking more to himself than to Adam, anyway.  Before Adam opened his mouth, Tommy lifted his hand in a stopping motion.  “I know.  Fate.”

 

“I know it sounds ridiculous,”  Adam said with a sigh,  “but I believe my Grandfather.  There was something about him, something different.  I could never put my finger on it, but he made me believe in magic.”

 

Tommy wanted so badly to confirm for Adam that yes, magic was real.  That real magic was sitting right in front of him, silently begging for his heart.  Adam turned away again, but not before Tommy caught Adam’s chin with his fingers.  

 

“It’s ridiculous.  I know.”

 

“It’s not ridiculous.”

 

Adam leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Tommy’s waste.  “It is.  But thank you for not judging me for it.”  

 

“I’d never judge you for anything, Adam.  You know that.”

 

“Thanks.”  Adam squeezed harder as if holding on made Tommy’s words more real.  Tommy knew without a doubt that Adam had trust issues, and he hadn’t been very good at not contributing to those issues.  He’d left Adam more than once wondering if he’d done something to end the friendship.  

 

They embraced for a few more seconds before Adam leaned back and smiled at Tommy.  “Do you want to catch-”  Adam cut himself off as he stared shocked into Tommy’s eyes.  “What happened to your eyes?”

 

“What do you mean?”  Tommy asked, confused by the look on Adam’s face.

 

“You need to see it for yourself.”  

 

Tommy reluctantly got up and walked to the bathroom where his mirror/Adam gazer hung from the wall.  As he looked up and opened his eyes, a gasp caught in his throat.  His normal honey colored eyes had shards of black breaking apart his brown irises.  “What the fuck?”

 

His eyes were normal last night.  He knew.  He’d spent enough time in front of that damn mirror.

 

“How did that happen?”  Adam was just a stunned by the turn of color, even more so than Tommy.

 

That had been because Tommy knew what had happened.  He’d used enough dark magic that his aura was significantly saturated.  He’d read the books of his heritage; he’d heard the stories.  Male witches’ eyes turned black the more dark magic they used. At least that’s what the folklore had said.  Looking at himself in the mirror, he was pretty sure that the folklore spoke the truth.

 

“I don’t know,”  Tommy responded, at a loss as to what to say.  Adam knew things were off, but still Tommy couldn’t tell him until he figured it out on his own.

 

Standing behind Tommy in the bathroom, Adam peered into the mirror over Tommy’s shoulder.  Both stared at Tommy’s eyes, one with fascination, one with what could only be described as horror.

 

“They’re beautiful,”  Adam said as his fixated gaze dropped to Tommy’s lips, held for a second too long, and drifted back to his eyes.

 

The look was dangerous.  With that one look, Tommy didn’t see fascination, shock, or curiosity.  With the slight hitch in Adam’s voice and the lingering eyes on his lips, Tommy saw hope.  A little sliver of hope that would give Tommy the cause he needed to create the perfect storm to his downfall.  

 

Knowing good and well what he was doing, and the consequences of the action, Tommy closed his eyes, mumbled, and sent his spell out into the universe, ultimately sealing his fate without the guarantee that Adam would ever fall in love with him.  He knew what he was doing, and in that moment just couldn’t find it in himself to care. 


	28. Chapter 28

**_I wish I could say that I felt it when Tommy cast his spells.  I wish that something, anything, would have clued me in on what had happened.  It took me months to figure out what had been happening. Tommy always hid his eyes behind sunglasses, or cast more spells to cover the black in his eyes. Maybe if I’d been able to feel it, I could have stopped him._ **

 

Xander had only spent a week in rehab.  According to Adam, he’d agreed to a six week inpatient detoxification program and counselling.  Adam had been beside himself with both worry and anger, fearing that one week wasn’t enough time to recover.  Xander had shown up at their apartment, dropped to his knees and begged Adam’s forgiveness.  He’d promised he’d never touch another drug, illegal or otherwise.  Adam being Adam, had forgiven Xander and went back to the relationship with caution.   Little did either know that Xander didn’t leave rehab under his own volition. The spell Tommy cast made Xander into a marionette of sorts, his body was on autopilot, but Tommy was pulling the strings of his mind. 

 

The spell had allowed Tommy to force Xander to do or say anything he wanted.  He could have told Xander to go rob a bank while reciting nursery rhymes and Xander would have done it.  In this case, Tommy simply told Xander to leave rehab and grovel at Adam’s feet.  Tommy hadn’t necessarily wanted Adam to forgive Xander, but it was a means to an end.  Not to mention Tommy got off on the humiliation the act would have brought Xander. 

 

The spell wouldn’t last forever.  It would start wearing off rather quickly, Xander getting bits and pieces of his control back. As the fragments of his free will began to come back, Adam became more himself.  He’d laughed even, something he hadn’t done since the night he’d put Xander in the hospital.  By the end of the second week, Xander was completely in control, and Adam was back to being Tommy’s best friend.  Things were back to normal, which was exactly what Tommy hadn’t wanted. 

 

So he cast another spell.  This time turning Xander into an even bigger asshole than he was before.  He’d yell at Adam, belittle him, say anything and everything under the sun that would be considered abusive.  Tommy felt horrible making Adam listen to the vile things that Xander was saying about him.  They weren’t true, and he could tell by the way Adam reacted that, for the most part, they didn’t bother him.  He’d even told Tommy that he’d known that the belligerent behavior was due to the withdrawal and that Xander would be his old self before they knew it. 

 

When the verbal abuse didn’t work, Tommy tried something different.  With each thing he did to try to break the hold Xander had on Adam, the blacker his eyes became.  Adam told him almost daily how beautiful the strange new eyes were, and it seemed like every time Adam looked into his eyes for longer that a brief second, it was as if he got stuck there, unable to look away or release the enchanted stare.  This had made Tommy curious, but he quickly brushed it to the side, figuring it was just due to the unusual appearance.  He had no idea that there was something far more sinister at work. 

 

Tommy was in the bathroom looking into his mirror when Winston scurried into the room.  

 

**I’ve been hearing chatter, Tommy.**

 

“What kind of chatter?”  Tommy asked as he watched Adam getting ready for the day.  He’d just gotten out of the shower and was standing in front of the mirror, shaving.  The mirror was large enough that Tommy could see from his head all the way down to the towel wrapped loosely around Adam’s hips.  He wasn’t overly muscular, but he wasn’t weak either.  Tommy would describe the appearance of Adam’s skin and the definition of his slender muscles as soft, sensual. 

 

Winston tried to ignore the feelings that rushed through him. No doubt they would get stronger the longer Tommy stared at the half naked man.   **Bella’s been busy.  Word is she’s been bragging that she is close to bringing home her trophy.**

 

“Is that so?”  Tommy wasn’t really paying attention to Winston.  He was too focused on the fact that Adam’s towel looked like it was about to fall at any moment. 

 

**That’s you, Tommy.  You.**

 

“I’m aware, Rat.”

 

**Aren’t you the slightest bit worried?**

 

“Why would I be?  It’s not like she’s ever had power over me.”  

 

**She could, if you turned black.**

 

“I’ll never turn black, Rat,”  Tommy said.  Though he’d cast several spell as of late, knowing that he’d cast enough to saturate his irises, he’d convinced himself that he was still in control.  He still had free will, though with the black slowly creeping into his eyes, he became that much more sensitive to persuasion. 

 

**Just be careful, ok.**

 

Tommy continued to watch Adam until he’d left for another day of giving random people massages.  Tommy had never been a jealous man, but the idea of people getting that close to Adam made his skin itch, something else that had started since his eyes shattered.   He quickly picked up the phone, and booked every open appointment for the next week. 

 

Adam had been surprised to see Tommy, even more surprised when he’d seen that Tommy was down for a massage everyday, sometimes multiple times in one day.  He found it odd, but funny none the less. 

 

“I swear, Tommy.  You only love me for my hands.”  Adam had laughed as he worked away the tension in Tommy’s left shoulder. 

 

“I love you for more than that,”  Tommy said, unashamed.  Adam knew how he felt, whether he addressed it aloud or not.  As of late, he’d been bringing it up quite a bit more often.  Every time he did, Adam’s cheeks would turn red, and he’d change the subject as quickly as possible.  This time had been no different. 

 

“So, how’s the boardwalk been lately?”  

 

“Good,”  Tommy said on a whispered sigh.  Adam’s hands were his favorite type of magic.  “A lot quieter with Xander gone. 

 

Xander hadn’t been back to the Boardwalk since his stint in rehab.  Tommy both loved and hated it.  He loved that he had no competition for customer attention, but he hated that it made for more competition for Adam’s attention.  He still spent five days a week at the Center, but now he spent no time at the Boardwalk which meant he had that much more time to spend with Adam. 

 

Xander had morphed into the attentive boyfriend.  He’d held Adam’s hand, taken him out on dates, even asked how Tommy was, which really pissed Tommy off.  

 

Adam enjoyed the attention. It was obvious to see, but at the same time something inside of him was sad.  Perhaps he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Living through Xander’s addiction for a second time had to have been emotionally draining.  But Tommy sensed it was something entirely different.  It was a deeper sadness, something that was resonating in Adam’s gut as well as his head. 

 

Looking unsure of what else to say, Adam continued on, moving along Tommy’s skin in small circular patterns. 

 

“Okay.  I lied.  I do love you for your hands,”  Tommy said, moaning into the circular headrest.  Adam was now pushing  with his fingers into Tommy’s lower back.  Just a couple more inches and the massage would be in the realm of inappropriate.  Tommy didn’t mind.  He actually silently hoped that Adam would take that step and touch him in a way that would have a normal client filing a complaint. 

 

“See.  I knew it.  You can’t fool me,”  Adam said with no seriousness.  

 

“God, keep going.  I think I may book another week.”

 

“Tommy,”  Adam said with some seriousness now, but still mostly playful.  “You’ve been here every day.  You’ve been here once already today.  As entertaining as you are, I need to see my other clients as well.”

 

Motioning for Tommy to flip to his back, Adam held the blanket just enough so Tommy was able to move with modesty.  Once flipped over, Tommy focused his tiger striped eyes on Adam.  “I don’t want to share you.”

 

“You have to share me.  It’s my job.”

 

“You make it sound like you’re a prostitute.”  Tommy huffed as Adam began working on his left arm. 

 

Adam chuckled lightly.  “In a way, I am.  I’m being paid to bring people a certain type of pleasure.  It’s just a legal form of pleasure.”

 

“Please tell me that didn’t mean what my mind decided to show me?”  Tommy asked, horrified by the image in his head.

 

“Tommy, what the hell?  Really?  I do  _ not _ give happy endings.”

 

The serious look on Adam’s face was enough to send Tommy into a gut clutching laughing fit.  “You should have seen your face.  You thought I was serious.”

 

Adam glowered at Tommy, his hands never stopping even as Tommy squirmed with laughter.  “It’s not funny.”

 

“It kinda was.”

 

Adam stopped.  “If you don’t stop laughing, I’m not going to finish you.”

 

More belly laughs from Tommy.  At this point the tears streamed down his face.

 

Realization dawning, Adam rolled his eyes.  “Oh my god, Tommy.”

 

Tommy calmed himself just enough to say “I’m here all week.”

 

Adam rolled his eyes again.  “I know you are.”

 

~

 

Tommy finished with his massage around four in the afternoon.  Adam had an hour and a half left of his shift before he was free to go home.   They had made plans to spend the evening at Tommy’s apartment.  Tommy was making Adam dinner, and a movie to follow.   

 

He spent almost two hours making Adam the only thing he’d learned to make without the help of magic.  Spaghetti and meatballs.  It was his mother’s recipe.  However, she could make it in a fraction of the time it had taken Tommy.  

 

Adam had shown up at Tommy’s apartment around seven, and immediately commented on the delightful smell.  Tommy refused to let him help in any way, so Adam moved himself onto the couch and turned on the t.v.  He sat and watched the local news while Tommy finished dinner. 

 

Once dinner was ready, Tommy set his small table and called Adam into the kitchen.  It smelled delicious even to Tommy’s sense.  He scooped a generous helping of noodles and put them on Adam’s plate.  He followed with the homemade sauce and three large meatballs. 

 

“I don’t know how I’m going to eat all of this,”  Adam said as he looked down at his plate.  “I’m going to have to run for a week.”

 

Tommy gave Adam a side eye as he slopped some pasta and sauce onto his plate.  “Don’t start that again.  You’re perfect.”

 

“I could lose a few pounds.”

 

Tommy glared.  This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation.  Ever since that meet and greet with Xander so long ago, Tommy had internally fumed.  Xander mentioned Adam’s waistline, and it seemed like ever since, Adam would go through these cycles of eating like a bird.

 

“You do not need to lose anything.”

 

“I should.”

 

“Adam.  Listen to me.  You are a smoking hot dish that everyone wants to fuck.”

 

Adam’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red.  “I can’t believe you just said that.”

 

“Get used to it, because it’s the truth.”

 

They spent the rest of dinner in an awkward silence.  Adam was unusually quiet, and Tommy was sure that the conversation had made him uncomfortable.  Tommy didn’t care, however.  He’d watched Adam be self deprecating for over a year.  It was time he shed the esteem problems and realized what a beautiful person he was, both inside and out. 

 

Adam cleaned up the dishes while Tommy put the leftovers away.  Once finished, both men headed to the living room.  Adam had chosen the movie and he’d chosen a foreign film.  He explained that it was a forbidden romance between a nobleman and a peasant, in a time where not only was blending classes frowned upon, but homosexual relationships didn’t even show up on the radar.  It was an odd choice, Tommy thought, but he’d watch it just to spend time with Adam.

 

The movie began, and Tommy huffed.  “This has subtitles.”

 

“So.  It’ll be good. I promise.”

 

“If you say so.”

 

Tommy snuggled into Adam’s side as the movie rolled.  They were only about halfway through the movie when a very romantic, yet graphic sex scene began.  Tommy looked at Adam through the corner of his eye.  Adam’s cheeks were flushed, and he was breathing heavy.  His hands were in fists at his sides.  He was affected by what was playing out on the screen.  If Tommy hadn’t known better, he’d bet that Adam had an erection hiding in his jeans.  Tommy tried to look without being obvious, but it was too difficult.  Instead, he stared at the screen and tried to small talk Adam at the same time.

 

“Wow.  These foreign movies sure don’t know about censorship.”

 

“Uh...yeah.  The aren’t as prudish in Europe.  They even have topless weather girls in some countries.”

 

“Really?”  Tommy raised a brow and turned his head towards Adam.  “How about pantless weathermen?”

 

Adam chuckled softly.  “I haven’t seen or heard of one yet.”

 

“Bummer,”  Tommy said as he continued to study Adam.  He was visibly nervous.  Tommy wasn’t sure why.  They’d sat on his couch a thousand times and watched many movies with graphic sex, but none had affected him quite like this one had.  It had every part of Tommy’s body on edge.

 

Without any warning or thought, Tommy leaned in.  There was a look of shock on Adam's face as Tommy touched his lips to Adam’s.  Before their mouths came together, Tommy was almost positive that he also saw want in Adam’s stormy gaze.  


	29. Chapter 29

The whimper that came from Adam’s lips sounded hurt. If Tommy hadn’t known Adam as well as he did, he’d believe that Adam was indeed in pain. He’d actually started to pull away, hoping that the embarrassment wouldn’t be too great, when Adam moved his lips. It was only a fraction, but Tommy felt it. Adam had started to kiss him back. 

That small touch and movement caused Tommy to be more daring. He flicked his tongue out of his mouth and lightly ran it over the seem of Adam’s lips. Adam’s lips were warm and inviting. However, he wasn’t being invited in. Instead, Adam broke away, exhaling into Tommy’s space and resting their foreheads together. 

“Kitten. Please.”

Shit. What had Tommy done? A moment of weakness, and Tommy had screwed up any progress he’d made, not that he actually had. He’d cast multiple spells, and all he’d accomplished was a big fat nothing. “I’m sorry,” Tommy apologized. He began to pull away from Adam, hoping to bow out of his embarrassment and fuck up gracefully, when Adam’s hand came to rest on the back of Tommy’s neck. 

“Wait,” Adam said, a little louder than necessary, but with force behind the single word. “Wait.”

Tommy looked up at Adam with his splintered, amber eyes. The blues looking back at him looked just as pained as the earlier whimper had sounded. There was so much emotion swimming in Adam’s gaze, Tommy felt it like an electric current flowing through him. 

“I...I, shit,” Adam said, obviously at a loss for words. He looked torn between whatever he’d been about to say and what his mind was actually thinking. He blew out a long, hot breath. “I can’t do this to Xander.”

Tommy held Adam’s gaze. It was happening. A talk that had been long in the making had finally arrived. Adam couldn’t hide anymore, not behind Xander, not behind himself, and not behind Tommy. “Why? Why can’t you, Adam?”

“You know why.”

“You want me. I can feel it radiating off of your skin.” Tommy ran his hands down Adam’s arms, causing a shiver to ripple through the man. “I can see it in your eyes.”

Adam shivered under Tommy’s touch. The touches were innocent, but the bodily reaction they were eliciting did not appear to be of an innocent variety. “I won’t do that to him.”

“Tell me you don’t want me as badly as I want you,” Tommy said, running his nose up Adam’s neck and over his jaw. He placed a chaste kiss on the corner of Adam’s mouth. 

Adam groaned at the sensation. “Tommy...Kitten.” Another groan, this time a bit more primal than the last. There was no hiding the fact that Tommy was affecting Adam. “Of course I want you. You’re fucking gorgeous.”

“Then have me,” Tommy whispered in Adam’s ear.

“I can’t do that to Xander.”

“He did it to you.”

“I won’t hurt him like that. He doesn’t deserve it.” Adam’s resolve was magic in and of itself.

Resolve or no, Adam’s statement pissed Tommy off. Xander deserved every last rotten thing that happened to him, and then some. Tommy pushed himself up and away from Adam, sliding his fingers angrily through his hair. “He doesn’t deserve you!” Tommy yelled as his heavy steps moved him to the bedroom. He slammed the door.

It wasn’t the best reaction to have, but he couldn’t help it. He felt the rejection down to his very core. It wasn’t the rejection that really got to him, either. If Adam would have been single and rejected him, it would have stung, but it wouldn’t have created the feelings that Tommy was currently trying to keep at bay. It all had to do with Xander. Fucking Xander had been the thorn in Tommy’s side for far too long, way before he’d ever even met Adam. 

It was too much. All of it was too much, and on top of it, Bella was tickling the back of Tommy’s mind. She was saying all the wrong things that sounded right in Tommy’s clouded thoughts. One spell. One spell was all it would take, and Xander would be gone forever. 

Tommy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Go away, Bella,” he whispered to himself. Too bad rat wasn’t there. He’d always been Tommy’s voice of reason. Tommy really needed that voice, but Rat was out on patrol, keeping the perimeter safe, while giving Tommy some privacy.

Do it. Bella’s voice rang loud in Tommy’s head. Do it before it’s too late. Do it before you lose Adam. 

“Get out of my fucking head!” Tommy yelled into the room.

It only took seconds before there was a knock on the door. Adam obviously heard Tommy’s outburst. “Kitten, are you okay?”

Adam sounded almost wounded with his concern. It broke Tommy’s heart to hear the sadness and fear in Adam’s voice. He knew that tone. Adam was afraid Tommy was running again. He would never run, not again. 

It was Xander who needed to go. He needed to go and leave Tommy to pick up the pieces. 

“I’m fine,” Tommy answered, trying to keep his voice even. The anger in his voice would just create more emotions in Adam, which in turn would feed into Tommy’s rage. 

Tentatively, Adam opened the door. Tommy turned toward the sound, and Adam slipped into the room. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you dare apologize to me,” Tommy snapped. He didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but his last straw was about to break. “You did nothing wrong.”

Adam approached Tommy and sat down on the edge of the bed. He looked up at Tommy, a strange look of apprehension on his face. Tommy knew that look. Adam was trying to tread lightly.

“I feel like I led you on.” 

Tommy sighed. Of all the things for Adam to say. He took a step or two forward and sat beside Adam on the bed. “You haven’t led me on.”

“But I-” Tommy cut him off.

“But what? You got turned on by a scene of naked men. I got turned on by you. That’s hardly your fault.”

Adam blushed and nervously picked at a fingernail. “I shouldn’t have said that to you, that I wanted you. It’s not fair to you.”

“Adam, seriously. Don’t apologize.”

“No,” Adam said more sternly. “I know how you feel about me. It was wrong, and it was cruel.”

Tommy leaned into Adam, placing his hand on Adam’s knee. He squeezed gently. “It wasn’t cruel, and it wasn’t wrong. If you want me, too, how could it ever be wrong?”

“Because I can never give you what you want.”

Angry again, Tommy stood up and paced to the window. Right before he hit the wall, he pivoted to face Adam again. “Bullshit. You and I both know that’s not true.”

“I’m with Xander.”

“Do you love Xander?” Tommy asked. The look on Adam’s face showed that Adam hadn’t expected the overly personal question. 

“Tommy, please.”

“Answer the question. Do you love Xander? Because if you do, I’ll let it go, though I will never understand how you can love such a vile human being. But if you don’t, there’s no reason for you to stay with him.”

Adam looked exasperated. He was like a cornered animal trying to find an escape route. He didn’t want to answer the question any more than Tommy wanted to hear the answer, but it was done. It was out in the open, and there were no other options. The truth would set them free, or pull them farther into the abyss.

“Kitten…”

“Answer the question, Adam.”

“No,” Adam said so softly, Tommy wasn’t sure he’d heard the man correctly. 

“Louder.”

“No! Okay. I don’t love him. If I’m being honest, I never have. But I can. I have to.”

The broken look on Adam’s face as he’d said the last words shredded the last bit of resolve Tommy had in him. Adam was, in fact, a broken man, and one whose words were more for convincing himself that he could love a monster like Xander than for Tommy.

Closing his eyes, Tommy inhaled a large, deep breath and held it. Inside his head, the chanting was loud, in a dialect that only a fellow witch would understand. With each word that ran through his mind, he felt another piece of his aura crack and fall away. He’d lost control, and he knew it, but at the moment, he didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was ridding Adam of Xander once and for all. 

The whole spell took less than thirty seconds to cast. Tommy opened his eyes, Adam none the wiser that anything out of the ordinary had occurred. He looked at Adam, really looked at him. The man was beautiful. Inside and out, Adam was a man of life and love, and Tommy would be the one to show him that Adam had it in him, that Xander had been standing in the way.

“It’s getting late. You should probably head home,” Tommy said. It was much earlier than their normal nights, but he was exhausted and he needed to take a nap before Adam came back. There was no doubt that Adam would be back. What he was about to go home to would break him in ways that only Tommy could mend. 

Adam looked at Tommy quizzically for a few moments but then conceded. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” He said as a question.

“Of course. I’m not going anywhere.”

Adam just nodded and left the room. 

Minutes passed before Tommy heard the door close. As soon as it did, Tommy moved to the bathroom. He took a long, hot shower, before curling into his bed. He knew what was about to happen; he just didn’t know exact timeframe. He was going to need all the energy he could get.

~

The spell took a week to come to fruition. It had been longer than Tommy had thought, but it’d happened. 

Tommy had been at the Boardwalk, enjoying a uncharacteristically busy afternoon, when Adam showed up out of the blue, disheveled and distraught. He’d never seen Adam in such a state. It caught Tommy off guard for a moment, until he quickly remembered he’d been expecting it. 

He politely shooed away the few remaining tourists, threw up his closed sign, and ushered Adam to a less crowded area on the Boardwalk. He caught sight of an empty bench and practically pushed the other man down onto it.

“What’s wrong, Adam?” Tommy asked, showing concern that was half fake, half real.

“Xander…” Adam said, trailing off. His voice trembled, but not like he was going to cry. It sounded more apathetic than sad. 

Tommy moved in closer, putting his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “What about Xander?”

Staring off into the distance, Adam responded, “It’s over.”

“What?” Tommy asked, even though on the inside he was thrilled and dancing with joy. It had worked out just as he’d hoped. Xander was gone.

“He...he cheated on me again.”

Playing ignorant and sympathetic, Tommy threw himself at Adam, embracing him in a comforting hug. “I’m so sorry.”

“I should have seen it coming. It was bound to happen sooner or later.” Adam raised his arms and hugged Tommy back. 

Neither man said anything for a long time. The embrace was what Adam needed, regardless of how indifferent he’d sounded. Tommy knew it would hurt Adam, but it was a necessary pain, and a pain that in all honesty wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. The pain had a purpose, and that was what Tommy kept telling himself to validate what he’d done. 

“Want to tell me about it?” Tommy asked, lending a listening ear.

“Later. Thanks for being here.”

“Always.” 

Adam got up from the bench and turned to leave. “Where are you going?” Tommy asked, standing up and following Adam back across the Boardwalk.

“I have to go back and find some place to go. I can’t stay there.”

“You can stay with me, Adam.”

Adam turned and gave Tommy a questioning look. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kitten.”

Tommy rolled his eyes at Adam and began to dig through his pocket. Once he grabbed what he wanted, he pulled his hand out and extended it to Adam. Reluctantly, Adam put his hand out and Tommy dropped a key into it.

“Adam. You’re staying with me, and that’s final. At least until you get yourself a place. OK?”

Adam looked between the key in his hand and Tommy several times. Tommy could see the conflict in his eyes, but eventually Adam nodded his head in agreement. 

“Good. I’ll finish up here and meet you at my apartment. Our apartment.” Tommy gave Adam a reassuring smile.

Adam returned the smile after a moment. “Thank you,” Adam mouthed before turning back on his heel and walking away from Tommy.


	30. Chapter 30

It’d only taken about two hours to get Adam settled into Tommy’s place.  After much deliberation, Adam had decided to leave most of his belongings at the home he’d shared with Xander.  He’d explained to Tommy that there were too many reminders of the past, and he wanted a new start.  He packed up his clothes and other personal belongings and didn’t look back. 

 

Though officially moved in, Adam was nowhere near settled.  Tommy sensed all the emotions Adam had stirring inside.  He was angry that Xander had cheated on him, really cheated this time.  He was sad.  Even though Tommy was elated that Xander was finally out of the picture, he knew that Xander was a big part of Adam’s history, and Adam believed he was his future as well.  Adam was embarrassed that he’d given Xander so many chances only to come out looking like a fool.  He was so many things, but the one emotion that Tommy picked out above all the others was relief.  Adam was relieved that Xander was finally gone.  He might not have said it, but Tommy knew the look.

 

With Adam being for the most part silent and not his cheery, talkative self, Tommy decided to make them something to eat.  Nothing like some good old fashioned comfort food to lift one’s spirits.  Since Tommy wasn’t a cook, his comfort food consisted of ramen noodles with instant butter-flavored mashed potatoes mixed into the broth.

 

“This is actually pretty good,”  Adam said, blowing on the hot noodles before putting them in his mouth.  A little drop of juice escaped and rolled down his chin. 

 

It wasn’t the time for inappropriate and sexaul thoughts, so Tommy turned away for a second to clear his thoughts.  He’d have to tread lightly with Adam for a bit, until he adjusted to not being with Xander. 

 

“I practically lived on this stuff when I first moved out on my own,”  Tommy said, taking a bite of his own.  “I’m glad I can afford to eat well now, but every now and again, I like to treat myself to my poor man’s diet.”

 

“How did you stay so skinny eating this?”

 

“Magic,”  was all Tommy said.

 

Tommy was not in the mood to get pissed off about Adam’s lack of body confidence put in his beautiful brain by Xander’s asinine comments about his weight, so he changed the subject.  Not an uplifting, happy topic, but one that needed to be discussed. 

 

“So...what happened?”  Tommy asked hesitantly.  He was dying to know the details of Xander’s demise.  He wanted to bask in the other man’s fall, but he didn’t want Adam to have to relive the scene.  In the end, he knew Adam needed to get it out just as much as he wanted to hear it. 

 

Putting his fork down, Adam looked up at Tommy.  The look on his face was heartbreaking.  It may have been a necessary evil making Adam into collateral damage, but it still made Tommy feel like shit.  Seeing the look on Adam’s face made him feel all that much worse.

 

“I caught him.”

 

“You caught him?”  Tommy asked.

 

“Yes,”  Adam replied.  He looked down at his bowl and exhaled on a long, drawn out breath.  “He was supposed to be at the Center.  I got off of work early.  I was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. He must not have heard me come in.  I heard him though.”

 

Tommy reached across the table and took Adam’s hand into his own, lacing his fingers over Adam’s.  “I’m so sorry, Adam.”

 

“I didn’t tell you, but before the rape, I used to let Xander take turns in bed.  I’ve never been the submissive type, but I’d let Xander take control because it made him happy.  After the rape, I stopped.  It was the source of many fights.”

 

Tommy recalled the argument he’d watched in his two way mirror between Xander and Adam.  He’d known then that it was about sex, but didn’t realize how deep the whole dynamic went between the two men.  Xander was mad that night because Adam wouldn’t bottom for him.  It made perfect sense to Tommy why Adam had refused. 

 

Squeezing Adam’s hand in reassurance, Tommy coaxed Adam to continue.

 

“Anyway, I got home from work and heard him.  At first, I thought he was working out, or trying to lift something, until I got closer to the bedroom.  I opened the door and there Xander was, fucking some guy on our bed.”

 

“Shit, Adam.  I always knew Xander was a douche, but I didn’t think he’d go that far.”  Yes, Tommy did, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Adam, or to himself for that matter.  If he’d admitted it to himself, he’d have to admit that he wasn’t really sure that Xander would have fucked some other guy without Tommy’s supernatural persuasion.

 

“Yeah, well.  I really should have seen it coming after the relapse.  It was inevitable, I guess.”

 

“That doesn’t make it any easier.”

 

“No,”  Adam admitted,  “but at least I found out before I wasted my life on something that wasn’t meant to be.”

 

Adam looked solemn.  He’d put so much faith in his grandfather’s words.  It had been a blind faith, that Adam clung to dearly, and Tommy could see the crush of reality all over Adam’s beautiful face.  He’d invested so much time and effort into Xander. It had to be a devastating blow. 

 

“It was never meant to be.  You see that now, right, Adam?”  Tommy needed to know that if nothing else at this point, Adam knew that he’d been chasing the wrong dream. 

 

Defeated, Adam shook his head in agreement.  “Yes.”  It was all Adam managed to say. 

 

Sensing that it was too much for one night and the topic needed to be changed, Tommy got up from the table and took Adam’s empty bowl to the sink with his own.  “So, what do you want to do now?  We can watch a movie or something.”

 

“Honestly, if it’s okay, I’d really like to just go to bed.  I haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours.”

 

Adam did look extremely tired, like he was running on fumes.  He needed a good night’s sleep, maybe even a whole day’s sleep.

 

Tommy walked past Adam and proceeded to his bedroom.  He opened the closet and rummaged around until he came out with a few blankets and a pillow.  He put the pillow down on his bed, and swapped it for his.  He emerged back into the living room and threw the blankets down onto the couch.  “The bed’s yours.  Go get some rest.”

 

“Tommy you don’t have to-”

 

“Don’t even say it,”  Tommy said, cutting Adam off.  “Get your pretty little ass in that room and get some sleep.  I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

Adam simply shook his head and did as he was told.  He shut the bedroom door behind him, giving Tommy a small smile just before.  Tommy heard some light ruffling before the light went off and the room went silent.

 

Adam in Tommy’s bed was one of the first ideas that raced through Tommy’s head that first day on the Boardwalk.  He never thought it would be under these circumstances.  At least it was a start in the direction Tommy had wanted from the beginning, and he’d take it.  He’d take it and start by picking up all the pieces of Adam mind, body, and soul, and putting them back together in a Tommy shaped heart. 

 

~

 

**Care to tell me what’s going on?** Rat had been out of the house since before dinner and had come home to Tommy asleep on the couch. 

 

“Adam’s asleep in my room,”  Tommy said, wiping some of the sleep from his eyes.  He looked at the clock.  He’d been asleep for about four hours. 

 

**I noticed.  Why is he asleep in your room?**

 

“He and Xander broke up.”

 

Rat climbed up the side of the couch and sat next to Tommy’s head.   **Really?  What happened?**

 

“Long story short, he got caught fucking some guy.”

 

**Poor Adam.**

 

“Yeah.  Poor Adam.”  Rat had no idea that Tommy had been casting spells against Xander, let alone the doozy of a spell that stripped Xander of his free will and forced him to seek out the company of another man.  It had been a hard spell to cast.  It was different from the other free will spell Tommy had used.  The first one, Xander didn’t need to remember that he was an asshole while under Tommy’s control.  With this spell, Xander needed to  _ want _ to cheat on Adam.  He needed to want and remember it.

 

**So what happens now?** That was the good thing about Winston. Like a cat, curiosity would never get him killed. 

 

“I don’t know, Rat.  We take it one day at a time.”

 

**You good with one day at a time?**

 

“I’ve made it this long, haven’t I?  What’s a little bit longer?”

 

~

 

Adam was at Tommy’s place for about a week before he was able to get an apartment of his own.  It was a small and cozy one bedroom with a view of the water from his balcony.  If Adam had the windows open, the breeze filtered in.  It made Tommy want to curl up in a recliner and read a book.  It was that cozy.  

 

He’d helped Adam move in, and he’d also helped Adam with the refurnishing.  They’d gone to a few local thrift and antique stores and found several nice pieces of furniture.  Adam liked to antique shop.  He managed to get a dining table with chairs, an armoire, and an old circa 1920’s wall mirror.  Adam spared no expense on a bed.  They’d spent all day testing out mattresses, until Adam found the perfect one.  Tommy hoped he’d get to be in that bed sooner rather than later.  Not only did he want to roll around with Adam on it, but it was hella comfortable.  Tommy would sleep like a baby. With a stroke of luck, Adam found a matching couch and recliner at a yardsale in one of the upscale neighborhoods that surrounded the Boardwalk.  Brand new, the set would have cost him over a grand, but he was able to walk away with it for a little over two hundred bucks. 

 

They finished by stocking the fridge, and Adam insisted on compensating Tommy for his help by filling his belly with food.  By the time they were done eating, Tommy could barely move, and Adam was half falling out of the chair with exhaustion. 

 

“I’d better get going and let you sleep,”  Tommy said, getting up from the table. 

 

“No.  It’s late.  You can stay here,”  Adam said sleepily.

 

Tommy chuckled.  “You don’t have anywhere for me to sleep.”  He was right.  Adam didn’t have any extra blankets.  They hadn’t gotten to that part of the shopping trip yet. 

 

Adam looked around the room through heavy eyes.  His gaze landed on the couch and his brow furrowed as if in deep thought.  After a few moments, his features lit up like a light bulb had gone off in his head.  

 

“Share my bed.”

 

“What?”  Tommy asked. He wasn’t sure he’d heard Adam correctly.

 

Adam must have caught on to what Tommy was thinking through his haze of fatigue.  “It’s a comfy bed.  No reason we can’t share it and both get a good rest.”

 

Tommy thought about the offer.  He weighed the pros and cons in his head as to whether or not sharing a bed with Adam was a good idea.  Pro number one:  It was Adam’s bed, with Adam in it.  Pros didn’t get much better than that.  Con number one:  It was Adam’s bed with Adam in it.  That could spell a shit ton of problems.  Tommy could spring a boner while in bed with Adam; he could talk in his sleep while having a deliciously dirty dream about Adam.  There were so many things swirling in his head that screamed no.  This is a very bad idea.  However, the only thing Tommy’s brain could process was that it was Adam’s bed.  Adam would be in the bed.  Adam invited Tommy to be in the bed. 

 

“Okay,”  Tommy agreed without another thought. 

 

Smiling, Adam got up and made his way to his room.  Tommy followed closely behind him.  Adam flipped on the light, walked to the bed, and turned down the blankets.  “You can have whatever side you want.  I’ll be right back.  I’m going to take a quick shower.”

 

Adam left the room, and Tommy was alone.  He wasted no time stripping down to his boxers.  He left his shirt on.  He wasn’t sure how Adam would feel if he were that close to naked.  He snuggled down into the right side of the bed, and pulled the blanket up to his chin.  It really was a comfortable bed.

 

Tommy tried his hardest to stay awake until Adam was done in the shower.  He wanted to talk to Adam, keep him awake for a little while and enjoy the unexpected moment.  He didn’t make it.  He was out cold in Adam’s perfect new bed before Adam came back from the bathroom.  He was out before Adam walked over to the dresser, dropped his towel and put on a pair of boxers.  He was asleep  before he could feel the dip of the bed as Adam lay down beside him, and he was asleep before he could feel the warm arm snake around his waist and pull him into the man he’d craved, the man he wanted, the man he loved. 


	31. Chapter 31

It took Adam several weeks to go back to the Boardwalk.  Tommy didn’t blame him.  His booth was right next to Xander’s, and Adam hadn’t been ready to face him since the break up.  Xander had tried to call Adam, text Adam. He’d even shown up at Adam’s job a few times before he finally got the hint and backed off.  Tommy knew there was no way Adam was going to be able to avoid his ex forever, but he let Adam have the space he needed to get back to normal.

 

The weeks had been good to Tommy and Adam both.  Tommy got to spend almost every day with Adam, and Adam was slowly becoming himself again.  They’d spent their normal Tuesday night at Murphy’s, drinking the night away to laughs and conversation.  Neither normally drank enough to feel inebriated, but a few times they decided to let loose and drown some of Adam’s sadness and anger in alcohol.

 

One evening, they’d even become the crowd favorite.  Murphy’s didn’t have a dance floor, but that didn’t stop a very happily drunk Adam from convincing a less drunk Tommy, and almost the rest of Murphy’s patrons, to get up and start a chain dance across the entire restaurant.  

 

Tommy liked seeing Adam happy.  At first, it only came out when he drank, but as the days passed, Adam began to show genuine happiness and joy.  Tommy saw it mostly when they were alone together.  On the night’s they didn’t venture out to Murphy’s, they’d stay in, usually staying at Adam’s.  They’d cook dinner, watch movies. Sometimes Adam would just sit and watch Tommy do magic tricks in the middle of the floor.  Adam would tease Tommy and joke about his magic not being anything special.  In return Tommy would cast a spell that would invoke a face of awe and the biggest smile he’d ever seen on Adam’s face. Adam’s reaction to Tommy’s tricks was almost childlike, with an innocence that most people lose as they become jaded by the world.  Adam truly loved magic.

 

Tommy still wasn’t convinced that Adam was clueless, either.  He’d never acknowledged the weird things Tommy could do, like make things appear from nothing, or allow Adam to taste something that wasn’t there.  He’d never questioned how his keys found their way to his pocket, when he’d known he’d left them at work and had to take a bus home, or how he’d managed to stay cool when Tommy’s air conditioner broke.  Adam had also never brought up Tommy’s eyes.   They were still honey splintered in black.  Tommy knew they weren’t normal, and never would be again, but if Adam knew anything, he continued to remain silent. 

 

Sometimes the two would stay at Tommy’s house, doing much of the same things, but at Tommy’s they had to include Winston.  Adam adored the rat, and Tommy had a feeling Winston adored Adam just as much.  The most beautiful laughter Tommy had ever heard had come thanks to Winston.  Tommy had warned Adam that Winston could be a vindictive little shit, which Adam refused to believe.  That was until he’d seen the rat’s mischief with his own eyes.  Winston hadn’t shit in Tommy’s coffee.  He’d shit on Tommy’s toothbrush.  Winston’s reasoning for doing it?  Tommy had refused to feed Winston oysters, instead making the rat eat block food, tasteless pellets that a normal pet rat would eat. 

 

All in all, the two men and rat were progressing past the events with Xander and were falling into a comfortable routine of friendship.

 

However, today was the day that Adam returned to the Boardwalk, and tension was running high.  They’d decided on a day to pack up Adam’s booth and move it to the other side, as far away from Xander as possible.  Hopefully Xander wouldn’t be there and wouldn’t cause a scene.  Tommy knew the last thing Adam wanted was to be confronted by Xander and have to relive any of those memories.  Tommy could take them away, but it was against the rules.  He’d broken enough rules to last a lifetime. 

 

“I really hope he’s not there,”  Adam said as he ran his hands through his hair.  He’d opted for comfort on his first day back, just wearing a pair of scrubs like he normally would at the parlor.  Today they were green, and brought out the natural red in Adam’s silky hair.  Since he’d left Xander, Adam had been letting his hair go to expose the natural ginger Adam actually was.  

 

“It’ll be fine if he is.  You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to.”

 

“I know.  I’m just not sure I’m ready to face him.”  Adam ran his hand through his hair and gave it a little fluff. 

 

“Will you ever really be ready to face him?”  Tommy asked, grabbing his keys from the corner table. 

 

“I guess you’re right.”  Adam straightened his shirt and looked at himself in the mirror with a sigh.  “Let’s go get this show on the road before I change my mind.”

 

~

 

They’d been able to move Adam’s booth with no issues.  A few of the regulars asked him why he hadn’t been around and where he was going with his booth.  He politely told them that he’d been working at the parlor almost nonstop, and he was just moving his booth down a ways to avoid the heavy congestion.  They all seemed happy with the answers given and moved on with their day. 

 

Tommy enjoyed working alongside Adam.  They’d poke and tease each other and feed off each others energy.   Adam was damn good at what he did, and Tommy enjoyed watching him when he was in his zone.  Adam was so focused when he was in his element.  It made Tommy wonder if Adam was that focused when it came to other things.  He’d only seen Adam being sexual one time, and he was so detached from Xander that Tommy wouldn’t have been able to get a read on Adam’s sexuality and sensuality if he’d tried. 

 

**Incoming.**

 

Tommy looked away from Adam at Winston’s word.  A rowdy looking group of teenagers was making their way to Tommy’s booth.  They had that look about them that spelled trouble.  Tommy took a deep breath, preparing himself for the teenage idiocy.

 

“Hi guys.  How are you today?”  Tommy asked politely through his faked smile. 

 

“Told the best magician in town worked here.  Is that you?”  The young man said with attitude.  He couldn’t have been any older than sixteen.

 

“You’ve come to the right place.  What would you like to see?”

 

“What can you do?”

 

“Anything and everything,”  was Tommy’s reply.

 

The young man thought for a moment.  He turned around and silently asked the three boys that had come up to the booth with him.  They mumbled to each other, too softly for Tommy to hear. 

 

**This is going to be something ridiculous, isn’t it?**

 

“Always is,” Tommy answered Winston under his breath. 

 

After several moments, the boy turned to face Tommy with a mischievous grin on his face.  “See that girl over there?” 

 

Tommy looked in the direction the boy was pointing.  Leaning against a park bench was a girl about the same age as the boy. She was pretty, petite with long flowing black hair tied back in a pony tail. “What about her?”

 

“Can you make her tits bigger?”  The boy asked with a laugh.

 

Tommy rolled his eyes.  He’d expected something stupid to come out of the boy's mouth, but not that.  “I can, but I’m not going to.”

 

“What kind of fucking magician are you?”  The boy sneered, visibly unhappy that Tommy wasn’t going to indulge him. 

 

“The kind that doesn’t play cruel games with a young girl because some asshole kid wants a laugh.”  

 

“Best magician my ass.  Come one guys, lets go,”  the boy said to the rest of the group.  

 

Tommy wanted them to go.  He was a lot of things, but he wasn’t an asshole who used his magic to intentionally hurt other people for someone else’s pleasure...or his own.  Xander was the exception.  He hadn’t done it for pleasure.  Bringing down Xander was a necessity, at least that’s what he told himself to justify his use of aura darkening magic. 

 

“Over here upsetting the youth, I see,”  Adam said, making his way behind Tommy’s booth.  He’d just finished up with a massage, and came over to see what had transpired.

 

“Some asshole kids wanting me to be mean to some girl for being small chested.”  Tommy pointed to the girl, still leaning against the bench and talking to another teenage girl.  By the expressiveness of her face and body language, Tommy would guess the two were close friends. 

 

Adam regarded the girl carefully, tilting his head to the side as if he were in deep thought.  “She’s a cute little thing, isn’t she?”

 

Tommy shrugged his shoulders.  

 

Snapping his head back straight, Adam picked up Tommy’s magic hat off the table and sat in the folding chair in one quick swoop.  “If I were attracted to women, I think I’d like smaller boobs.”

 

“Random,”  Tommy said with a sly grin.  “Okay.  I’ll bite.  Why?”

 

“Because they look more like chests,”  Adam said cheekily.

 

Tommy laughed.  “Whatever you say, Adam.  Whatever you say.”

 

~

 

The sun was beginning to set by the time Tommy and Adam had their booths completely shut down for the night.  It had been a busy day.  With the exception of the ridiculous boob conversation, Tommy hadn’t gotten to talk to Adam at all.  Adam’s chair was full with people wanting his golden hands from open to close.  Tommy had been busy too, but not to the level that Adam had been.

 

“You had to have made some serious bank today,”  Tommy said sitting down on a bench that sat on the small pier and faced the rippling waves. 

 

“I didn’t do so bad.  How about you?  Any paying customers that didn’t want you to change someone’s bra size?”

 

“I could have done it.  I could have made them see big tits on that girl.”

 

“I know,”  was all Adam said.

 

“But I’m not an asshole.”

 

“I know that too,”  Adam said with a warm smile.  He sat down next to Tommy and motioned for Tommy to turn around.

 

He knew what was coming.  Those talented hands.  Adam seemed to like to work out all of the kinks Tommy carried in his muscles.  They’d gotten to a point where it didn’t even have to be said out loud.  Adam would just gesture with his finger, and Tommy would turn around and wait to be touched. Tommy moaned softly as Adam’s hands touched his skin. 

 

“You’re hands are going to be the death of me,”  Tommy said with a pleasured groan.  “It would be one helluva way to go.”

 

“Stop talking and just enjoy,”  Adam chastised Tommy.  They always had the same conversation every time Adam put his hands on Tommy’s body.

 

“M’kay.”

 

Adam continued to do his work on Tommy’s sore muscles.  One wouldn’t think standing at a booth all day doing magic tricks would be so stressful to the body, but some of the more indepth and difficult tricks that Tommy did took a lot of body control and muscle.  Sometimes, his whole body wanted to shake while he was in the middle of spells.  Concentration was key, and it caused every muscle in his body to go rigid at times.  If he wasn’t controlled, his spells would zig zag, and there was no telling what the end product would be. 

 

**We have incoming.  Again.** Winston’s voice pulled Tommy out of his relaxed state.  Winston’s voice held concern with a bit of urgency.  Tommy looked around but didn’t see anything.

 

“What are you-” Adam began, but was quickly cut off by Tommy.

 

“Shh,”  Tommy said, holding up a finger, silently telling Adam to give him a minute.

 

Adam instantly looked worried, but stayed silent as Tommy’s had asked. 

 

Around the corner came the four boys from earlier.  They looked pissed, and each two were holding weapons, one a tire iron and one a baseball bat. It wasn’t Tommy’s first rodeo. He knew a fight when he saw one.  The dumb shits were pissed about Tommy’s refusal to play their sick and twisted game.  They thought they were coming to teach Tommy a lesson.  Too bad for them, they had no idea that Tommy would be the one dishing out an education.

 

“You fuckface!”  The boy from earlier screamed from the distance.

 

Adam turned his head at the voice.  “What the hell is this kids problem.”

 

“I’ll deal with it.  Just sit there and let me do the talking.”

 

 

 

 


End file.
